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chestnut-b · 5 years ago

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Himawari Chapter 8

Beneath a masked smirk, the letter found a comfortable home in his breast pocket.

Note to self. Iruka is truly a man of extremes. A Hashira offers him a souvenir, and he asks for Orochimaru’s head or nothing at all.

Chapter 8 of a Demon Slayer AU

In the blink of an eye, summer had passed.

Iruka looked out into the vast forest as the winds of autumn blew past. The colours were already well in the midst of changing; green giving way to golds and reds. The lush soundscape of summer was no more, instead, the winds carried crisp, dry notes that only served to accent the chill that settled in his bones.

He sat now in what was a certain Hashira’s preferred napping spot, high above the school grounds. It had been a few months since the man had left, but now, in the teacher’s lap, a tired hound was napping, warm and content.

Iruka gazed at the slip of paper in his hand. He had to keep a good grip on it, lest a sudden gust of wind carried it off. Admittedly, he’d gone over its contents five times by now, but surely, he thought, one more time couldn’t hurt.

Iruka-sensei,

At the time of writing this, I’m still alive, isn’t that nice?

If you are too, then I’m glad it wasn’t a wasted trip for Bisuke.

You’ve spoiled him, and he’s pickier about his treats now, but I guess that’s fine.

Not much excitement where I am I’m afraid, and not much good tea either.

If you’d like a souvenir, you need only ask, though Guruko can’t carry very much. Please be reasonable, sensei.

It was signed off with a gracefully brushed henohenomoheji.

Iruka’s other hand rested in Bisuke’s fur. He stroked it absentmindedly, sighing.

“Bisuke, what do you think I should ask for?”

The hound in question merely whined, and nestled his head deeper under the sleeve of his haori. With a chuckle, Iruka carefully folded the paper back up, his fingers running over each fold and crease, before tucking it into his breast pocket. He let his palm linger on his chest.

It’d gotten just a bit warmer.

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“Sakura? What’s the matter?”

The next morning, Iruka had seen Bisuke off, well fed and rested. He was in the middle of making his afternoon rounds when his ears picked up the sounds of soft crying. The school had been set up in an abandoned shrine compound, and he’d found her behind the aged offering box, below the large twisted ropes and bells.

“I-Iruka-sensei.” She lifted her head, her cheeks red and tear stained.

He crouched before her and placed a hand on her head.

“I’m here. What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Fresh tears welled up in her eyes. “I miss my parents.” She cried.

Iruka looked at his surroundings.

That’s right...her parents were shrine keepers.

Iruka hadn’t met them, but he knew they’d sheltered many slayers over the years, more than a few who were only alive today thanks to their intervention. The Harunos had been talented herbalists, and he’d come across their books on numerous occasions in Sarutobi’s library.

“I’m scared, sensei. I know we’re supposed to fight, but when I think about demons, all I can think about is running away.” She admitted, clutching her knees closer.

Iruka’s chest tightened. The child had only been here for half a year.

“Sakura, it’s only natural to feel that way. We’re human.” With the edge of his sleeve, he started to dry her cheeks. “Until you’re able to take care of yourself, we’re all here to protect you.” He’d say it as many times as he needed to.

“But the selections-“

“If you don’t want to take them, you don’t have to.” That was really the only saving grace in all this, he thought somberly. “If you want to follow in your parents’ footsteps, there are other ways to do it, Sakura. You don’t have to fight.”

“R-Really?” The relief in her eyes was apparent.

Iruka smiled gently, nodding. Getting up slowly, he offered her his hand.

“We’re teaching you to fight so you can protect yourself. Even if you don’t join the corp, there will always be a place for you.” He explained. Taking her small hand in his, he helped her to her feet.

Truth be told, it was something he always wished he could say to Naruto, but even he wasn’t sure those words would hold up under the weight of his destiny. Sakura at least, he didn’t have to worry for. If the Senju wouldn’t take her in, Sarutobi would. He’d see to it himself if it came down to it.

Hand in hand, they started to walk back into the compound. The rest of the children were playing catch, and their laughter echoed through the pavilion. By now, picking out Naruto’s voice amidst the chaos was second nature to Iruka.

Feeling a little more at ease, Sakura tugged gently on his hand, prompting him to face her.

“But sensei, fighting with swords, it’s a little fun.” She smiled sheepishly.

Iruka laughed and winked at the girl.

“Isn’t it? Sakura, don’t lose out to the boys. If they get out of hand when I’m not around, you’ll have to knock some sense into them for me.”

The smile widened into a returning grin.

“Ok!”

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Months he’d spent ranging and searching, only to reach another dead end.

I should be used to this by now. How many years has it been?

Kakashi stepped back to lean against a tree, his hands resting on the hilt of the blade propped before him. The moon, previously obscured by a sea of clouds before the battle, finally revealed itself, casting a soft light on the surrounding area.

It was a scene of pure carnage.

A small rural village had been wiped out by a single demon. The bodies left uneaten were strewn about, marred beyond recognition. The women and children had been taken first.

They were always taken first.

If he’d arrived just two days earlier, he could have saved these people.

Stop it, Kakashi. If you carry on like this, you’ll-

Shut up, Gai.

The Hashira sheathed his blade. He’d found a spot upwind, away from the stench of blood and decay. Taking a seat at the base of the tree, he brought his fingers to his lips, and soon a sharp whistle cut through the dead silence of the night. It wasn’t long before a crow descended, landing on his arm. With its usual beady stare, it waited for instructions.

“Call for the kakushi.”

The support members from the nearest outpost would need to deal with the aftermath. He couldn’t afford to be held up by the local authority. After all, the demon slayers didn’t have any kind of recognition from the governing powers.

The crow crooned softly before taking off into the sky. With a tired, hooded gaze, Kakashi watched as its dark silhouette melted into the night.

You aren’t too fond of them, are you?

An amused voice echoed in his head.

Exhausted, Kakashi didn’t resist the inviting pull of the recollection.

The teacher had watched him send off another report one late afternoon. He sat under the shade of the large tree that stood between their rooms. Unlike the cold glow of the moon, the light that fell was a warm gold, dappled. Bisuke had taken a liking to being curled up in Iruka’s lap, a habit he’d apparently picked up from Guruko, and the youth had been engrossed in a book that was decidedly not Icha-Icha.

It was true, he admitted. Kakashi wasn’t overly attached to his assigned crow messenger. That was why he had his hounds. Traveling on a plane of existence humans had no access to, they were only marginally slower than the birds. Impending tragedies, proclamations of death and loss. Any time a crow cried, it could be sending a slayer to his last battle.

No, unlike some of his comrades, he couldn’t find a reason to be fond of his messenger, exactly.

He walked up beside the teacher and leaned against the trunk of the tree.

“When was the last time a crow brought you good news then?” He’d challenged.

Iruka put down his book and closed his eyes with a considering look. His lips slowly turned into a smile, the kind that broadcasted thoughts of unabashed wickedness. Propping his chin with his hand, he looked up to Kakashi with a gleam in his eyes.

“Hmm. Obviously, when it told me you’d be coming here!”

Kakashi’s visible eye twitched incredulously.

Iruka tried to keep a straight face, but quickly ended up turning his head away, bringing a hand to his mouth in a sorry attempt to stifle his laughter.

“Oi, don’t laugh so hard at your own joke.” he’d sighed, exasperated.

It only served to have the opposite effect. Bisuke, awoken by the shaking, looked up, blinking at Kakashi blearily.

After a few more awkward moments, the laughter finally settled.

“But you know, in hindsight, it’s not a joke. I really do mean it” Iruka sighed with a soft expression.

Kakashi didn’t know what to say to that. He supposed he felt pleased by the admission, weirdly enough. He’d been sent to do a job, and while he’d dreaded it at first, being away from where he was most useful, he couldn’t say it was a complete waste of time. Iruka had proven to be a patient teacher in the art of fuda seals. It was also undeniably interesting to watch him at work; the paper coming to life with scriptures composed of inky, stylised crows.

Regrettably, the techniques used for the bounded field required a deep knowledge and understanding of the terrain, far beyond what he had time for. While he couldn’t hope to achieve the same level of expertise by a long shot, he’d been taught a few tricks, and he always appreciated the opportunity to pick Iruka’s brain.

“You don’t have a crow of your own?”

Iruka shook his head. “You know I don’t get sent out on missions. Even the sword I use now belonged to my father.”

Another curiosity.

“Well, I can only say you’re not missing much. They’re supposed to be for official use only.” He’d said ‘supposedly’, remembering at the back of his mind, the numerous occasions Gai sent his just to annoy him.

Loud and brash, just like its owner. It even had a bowl cut to match.

Iruka leaned his head back against the tree. A group of starlings had soared by after emerging from the surrounding forest, their cries echoing in the evening sky.

He looked up at them wistfully, an expression that reminded him painfully of Tenzou. He’d often done the same.

“You may be right about that. I’d probably just grow to become envious of it.” He chuckled.

Kakashi watched the last of the birds disappear.

“Envious of their freedom?”

“Hmm...You think they’re free just because they can fly, Kakashi-san?”

Ever the casual philosopher, he’d come to know Iruka’s fondness for throwing him questions like these.

Kakashi thought of his own situation. Unlike the other Hashira who watched over their own territories, after Tenzou’s death, he’d been granted leave to move as he pleased, to retire from his post, if he so wished to. He could go anywhere he wanted.

But no, he didn’t think of it as freedom in any sense of the word.

“I suppose even a bird needs a place to rest its wings.” He said after some consideration.

After a long pause, Iruka bowed his head, eyeing the sleeping hound in his lap. Then he whispered, with a voice that spoke of wishes, of places far beyond his reach.

“Maybe true freedom…means having a place to return to.”

“Maybe.”

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The approaching human presence pulled him from his rest. The moon still hung in the sky. It hadn’t been long.

Dressed in the uniform blacks, face obscured by a headdress, a corp member stood at attention before him. He looked just a bit nervous.

“Kakushi, reporting for duty, Hashira-sama! Do you require any medical attention?”

Kakashi shook his head, and took to his feet.

“Carry on with your duties. They need to be given proper burials. I’m heading off. I don’t sense any other demons, but stay alert.”

“Understood! May you see victory on the battlefield, Hatake-dono.” He bowed. He passed a satchel of fresh supplies to Kakashi before joining the rest of his comrades.

A thoroughly unpleasant job, but someone has to do it.

An hour later he found himself enjoying the hospitality of an elderly pair of bamboo cutters who had spotted and hailed him from the road. Sitting around a small fire, they offered him a bowl of hearty stew and to his surprise, a small cup of sake. He’d refused at first, but the couple had insisted.

“A small token for those who risk their lives protecting us.” The lady said, pressing the cup into his hands. The man with her explained that they too, had once been saved by a slayer on the road.

The Hashira didn’t have the heart to tell them they’d very nearly avoided a death trap not too far away. He would stay with them tonight, at least.

After the couple had retired for the evening, Kakashi stationed himself in the trees above. He would have fallen asleep too, had he not sensed Bisuke’s presence nearby. It had been nearly a week since he’d been sent off to the Forest of Death.

The hound materialised before him, and after receiving a grateful scratch, turned around to allow Kakashi to retrieve his quarry.

The first, a letter in a familiar, careful script.

Kakashi-san,

It is good to hear that you are alive. I do hope it remains so.

My thanks for sending Bisuke, the children enjoy his company, but not nearly as much as I do. Working for you, he deserves every bit of spoiling he gets.

As for a souvenir, I would have requested for Orochimaru’s head, but you did ask me to be reasonable. Instead, should you find yourself visiting headquarters again, I would ask that you find time for a detour. A selfish request, I know, but it would be appreciated. Naruto was just a bit disappointed that he didn’t see you leave with his own two eyes.

Having heard of your unfortunate circumstances, I’ve sent a small consolation. Should it run out, you’re more than welcome to send one of the hounds. I hope it brings you some comfort in your time of need.

Lastly, while you’re out there, why not take the opportunity to pick up some better quality reading material? Jiraiya-sama sends his regards, but also asks me to tell you he’s disappointed that you didn’t listen to him. Whatever that means.

Stay safe, and may fortune go with you.

Iruka

It was only too easy to hear his voice narrating it.

He chuckled as he read it one more time.

Note to self. Iruka is truly a man of extremes. A Hashira offers him a souvenir, and he asks for Orochimaru’s head or nothing at all.

Beneath a masked smirk, the letter found a comfortable home in his breast pocket.

Accompanying it was a small pouch holding a small container. He didn’t have to look to figure out its contents, but he did so anyway. The earthy fragrance of tea; a precious portion of Iruka’s personal stash.

It brought to mind quiet afternoons in amicable company, the warmth of a hearth, and shared, amused laughter.

“Bisuke, don’t go gloating about this to the rest. They’re going to get jealous.”

The hound grinned before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Alone, Kakashi looked up at the moon.

It seemed to glow a little warmer now.

One more thing to add to my list of duties, he sighed.

He’d have to find something good enough to send back for the tea.

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End of Chapter 8

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Author’s notes:

Woo, can’t believe we’re already at Chapter 8! What started out as a joke drawing has exploded into a completely, unexpectedly long fic with over 14 illustrations planned so far. I’ve never written anything longer than 2k words the past 15 years or so, so this has been a real brain stretcher. Thank you all for your kudos and comments so far, I always enjoy reading them! (They certainly encourage me to keep this on a regular schedule!)

Sometimes I also forget that not everyone is familiar with Demon Slayer, but I hope it’s been easy enough to follow along! Even if you aren’t, I don’t think you’re missing too much since I’ve made changes to certain parts of it. : )

Terminology and Fun facts:

Kakushi - ‘Hidden’ brigade (sounds very similar to Kakashi huh). They do all the clean up work following a battle. Typically staffed by non-combatants.

Fuda (Seals) - Protective charms that were, in real life, distributed by Shinto and Buddhist priests. The inspiration for Iruka’s is directly taken from the Kumano Hongu Taisha Shinto shrine in Japan. Googling “crow ofuda” will give you a good idea of what it looks like.

Again, thank you for following along so far! I’m having a lot fun writing and drawing for this : ) (at least, before I crank the pain factor up to 11).

See you in the next chapter!

#kakairu #iruka #kakashi #umino iruka #iruka umino #iruka sensei

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nosybookworm · 4 years ago

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Ninja Academy vs Hero School Rant

Naruto was my jam back in the day. I stayed up late to watch the new episodes, bought the dvd box sets and manga volumes, collected toys and cards just to stare at adoringly, even pretended to be sick so that I could stay home and watch a Naruto marathon. Point is, I LOVED Naruto.

I was invested in the characters. My heart ached for every single character that gave me a backstory. I ugly cried on more than ten occasions.

The action and moral dilemmas sucked me in and spit me out, made me the person I am today thinking critically about the stuff I love because wow that universe is in no way safe or sane for the people living in it lol.

The villains absolutely TERRIFIED me DESPITE STILL WANTING TO SEE MORE OF THEM, Orochimaru alone had me sleeping with the lights on and ripping the arms off his action figure just to be safe.

When I started watching My Hero Academia those old happy feelings started slapping me in the face drawing me in. MHA hits a lot of the same points that Naruto had and I didn’t really notice until the end of season 3 because those points weren’t as in-your-face or emotionally impactful as it was in Naruto I guess. Not to say it didn’t have an impact! Just that it rolled off me a lot easier which might just be a me problem.

I Mean:

The main character getting bullied/excluded because of something he can’t control.

Underdog character then meeting or making an emotional connection with a mentor figure truly feeling “acceptance” for maybe the first time and taking that all important first step toward their life long dream.

A teacher willing to sacrifice himself to protect the students.

A school training teens to protect/serve.

Rivalry that may or may not be actual friendship.

Students fighting against each other to “rank up” by showing how capable they are to their superiors.

Enemies invading to terrorize the kids and escaping to terrorize another day.

Traumatic family backstories that child will now attempt to seek justice through own power.

Previous underdog character actually having a secret power that no one knows about but a select few and that he has to train to learn how to use, but it makes him a powerhouse that is always surprising the enemy and inspiring his fellows.

Sure all that can be tied to any story when generalized like this, but the way MHA presents them is pretty similar to Naruto.

(Okay, ALL OF THIS is going to be my personal opinion. Things I want to say to get out of my system so that I can move on. It’s long too. So, now that you’ve been warned continue on.)

The more I got into it the stranger it felt because despite hitting those same points I loved they hit in a different way that....well... made me a little uncomfortable to sit through.

Like Aizawa

Very clearly the Kakashi in MHA. He’s sly hardly ever telling his students the truth but has incredibly high expectations of them, has been known to expel students left and right until his most recent batch of kids, is ready and willing to throw himself in harms way for them, and surprisingly competent despite his exhausted persona/personality. However the way these two teachers act get two very different results from me. Naruto got a chance to introduce Kakashi in a way that endeared him to me, the bell test was more than just showcasing the kids current abilities it was introducing Kakashi (the Jounin that is a kind of jack of all trades, the known perv that will publicly read porn, the guy that will happily mess with a bunch of kids to “teach them a lesson” and because its funny, the guy that requires the students under his care to care about each other because caring for his team matters to him more than any mission, that guy). MHA gave the quirk test. Aizawa mostly in the background taking notes and jotting down scores after his speech about expelling whoever comes last. We didn’t get to hear Aizawa’s thoughts until the very end when Izuku surprised him.

I didn’t really feel any connection toward Aizawa until I stumbled across fanfics that wrote him more involved with the students and I think that’s the problem. Aizawa is dedicated to his student’s education, he believes they will all be amazing heroes one day, but he hardly ever interacts with them. He can be seen watching their training from afar, sleeping in a corner as another teacher takes over for a bit, protecting them from danger or fighting along side them, and proudly declaring that Bakugo would never turn villain but all of that means very little emotionally when I can’t see him making connections with these students to make this standoffish confidence understandable. He comes off as one of those super smart teachers that have undecipherable lessons because he has no idea how to connect with his students enough to explain in way they understand. Similarly, he like jots down that he’s taking note of Bakugo and might need to step in before he goes down the wrong path but then does nothing and confidently tells the press Bakugo would never be a villain.

Kakashi was pretty standoffish too, no denying that, and the little episodes when the kids conspire to try to see him without his mask are the kind of outside interactions that would be weird for a modern teacher-student relationship like in MHA, so I get why Aizawa doesn’t really have that with any of the kids. However, Kakashi saw the path Sasuke was going down and spent time with him and confronted him about it (it did nothing to stop him but he tried). He took time to find a teacher for Naruto. He was present and awake for just about every milestone in there education with him. He told them when he was proud of them not other people. He involved himself in some of their high jinks to measure their growth and as such was able to have confidence in them when they went off on their own.

The Villains

And My Hero Academia villains, namely All For One.

I felt nothing when he showed up. I was all caught up in All Might and his passing of the torch. The guy without eyes didn’t feel threatening, didn’t feel like the big bad he was suppose to be. The League of Villains really didn’t feel like “serious enemies” either cause I actually really enjoyed them when they were on screen for their dynamics with each other. Similar to how I liked the Akatsuki in their more light-hearted scenes when they where super strong idiots banded together by sheer force of will and explosive personalities that refuse to leave a job half finished. With the League I would be just as entertained (probably more so) if they were in a slice of life anime just being terrible people together.

I get the feeling All For One was supposed to be MHA’s Orochimaru. (And I say this despite knowing Orochimaru’s introduction is probably a lot closer to Stain what with the confrontation and all, but his whole “the world is corrupt, I will cut out the wrong and remake it into the pure world it should have always been” aligned more with Pain especially with his quick turnabout saving Izuku.)

Orochimaru always felt in control even when he was in hiding or on the run, he felt like he had more up his sleeve which is the only thing I got from All For One when he was imprisoned. Both Orochimaru and All For One showed up out of nowhere, very obviously in a class of their own that the teenage main characters had no hope of beating, and a mysterious backstory that clearly put all the adults in the know on edge. But I just don’t see All For One as a villain. Nothing about him screamed “Run for your lives this man will smile as he tears you apart!” like Orochimaru. Nothing about All For One’s secret Mad Scientist lab gave me creepy vibes that left me on the edge of my seat clutching at the nearest pillow the way the Sound Village that practically worshiped Orochimaru and the many base of operations he had did.

Terrible Parents

The Todoroki family.

...

Look. The world of Naruto has terrible parenting, but they also live in a dictator/military run nation where kids can be a front-line defense or key players in a war zone so it’s hard to measure how to view these people. Cause a father that beats his kid and yells at him to get stronger has genuine reasons to rightfully freak out when children as young as 8 get sent to ninja academy. Families that have a rare genetic trait like the Hyuga or Uchiha have every right to be tough and stern if they feel that will protect their kids when they know putting them out into the world makes them an easier target for enemies that would rip out their eyes.

I can judge their actions based on their consequences. Like the Uchiha clan planning a revolt forcing their eldest to massacre them to keep the peace and their youngest to live with a crazy amount of trauma. Like the Hyuga clan branding their branch members to protect family eyes, but forcing them into being lesser than the main branch and all the trauma that forced on Neji’s poor head. The stupid level of expectation set on Hinata’s young shoulders that she couldn’t meet in the way her clan wanted that made her self-confidence practically non existent. The Hokage leaving Naruto mostly alone for his entire childhood in a village that openly hated him. The Kazekage trying to have his lonely three-year-old assassinated multiple times once by his beloved uncle - the only person that was kind and loved him - that scarred him so entirely that he carved “love” into his forehead and rampaged around the village and did casual murder intentionally for years before meeting Naruto.

All that... I can get behind as abuse. I want those sad kids to be happy. They deserved better and I will happily lose myself in a fix-it fic where they get that.

MHA gives me similar scenarios but without the clear-cut consequences that shows when parenting for that world is abuse.

Endeavor is not a good husband. He is emotionally abusive to his wife to the point she has a mental break and attacks a child.

However, in a world of heroes, in a world where high school students are trained to protect and serve and that self sacrifice is a noble heroic trait. How do I compare such a society to my own? They put children in harms way with hero internships yet don’t allow them to defend themselves if they don’t have a hero license, that would be like getting a learners permit but not being allowed to practice driving.

All this to say I have a hard time telling when bad parenting falls into abuse when it comes to MHA. Endeavor is not a good parent, he is an abusive husband, but is he an abusive parent? As a hero training up the next generation of heroes can it be argued that he is pretty okay even if his methods are a little harsh? None of his children fear him from what I’ve seen. Shouto happily tells him his plans to never use his fire and all the reasons why without fearing he might be punished for it. The other kids seem to be pretty okay going on with their lives. Toya being the exception but again I don’t know what happened to him and he’s a follower of Stain so did he have a falling out with heroes or did his father push too hard?

Nighteye & Tsunade

Okay so this is where I get super rant-y. I have feelings on Nighteye and none of them good.

Nighteye being the estranged comrade of All Might the underdog’s teacher, Tsunade being the estranged comrade of Jiraiya Naruto’s teacher.

Tsunade has been hurt deeply. She ran because she felt that was the only way to save herself from more pain. Here comes Jiraiya with his new little tag along demanding she come back home, she gets appropriately angry and tries everything she can to get them to leave her alone. Naruto being the special little underdog that he is immediately gets under her skin reminding her of all the loved ones she lost bringing back all of that old pain back, so she gets even. She beats him down and challenges him to an impossible challenge to show him how small he really is and get out of her own responsibilities. But he wins. He wins, and shows Tsunade how closed off she’s become forcing her to face reality head on and face her fears at last. He changes her whole world view through action.

Nighteye has been hurt deeply. He sees the future for every person he touches and as such sees futures in which people he loves get hurt and sometimes die. He believes there is nothing he or anyone can do to change these visions. All Might is his hero, His friend and mentor, his comrade. His friend gets hurt in a way he can never fully recover from and he sees a vision where his friend dies on the battle field. He then tells All Might who refuses to retire and leaves without a backward glance. They don’t speak until years later when Nighteye picks out a successor for One For All, but Toshi chooses Izuku and never meets Nighteye’s pick.

Izuku, needing an internship not Gran Torino, goes to Sir Nighteye All Might’s old side kick. He gets tested, told he’s not worthy of One For All, and has to work under this man as he tries to get Izuku to see how Mirio is more worthy of All Might’s quirk. Facing off against Overhaul when they are at their most desperate Nighteye uses his quirk to see what will happen and sees the worst possible scenario. They lose. Then Izuku flies in sweeps Eri into his arms and fights Overhaul saving the day. Izuku proved, unknowingly, that the future Nighteye sees is not set in stone with his actions and on his death bed Nighteye acknowledges that without acknowledging it.

Nighteye’s treatment toward Izuku makes me uncomfortable. This is a man in a position of power over this student telling him that he is not enough, will never be enough, and that he is a disappointment.

His glorifying of All Might makes me uncomfortable. He was All Might’s partner and yet he practically had a shrine of the man in his office. He made him more than just a man, built him up as The Symbol of Peace and kept him there (as many of Toshi’s friends seem to do except for Nedzu and Naomasa) despite getting close enough trusted enough to learn about One For All. And despite all that “love” and “devotion” he left Toshinori alone to deal with his new normal of a permanently damaged system alone for years then takes out all that frustration and grief out on his friends chosen successor.

Then when all is said and done and he’s dying and he’s confronted by Toshinori and Izuku what happens? Does he apologize? Explain his actions? Get closure in his final moments?

No. Well, Toshinori got some measure of closure. Izuku got a few words that essentially boiled down to “Good job, your better than I thought.” without talking about the newfound hope Izuku’s action gave him that his visions are only possibilities not absolute. All of his attention then goes to his choice for One For All, Mirio.

Understandably.

He’s dying and Mirio was always his main priority as a mentor, and you know who Mirio looks like? All Might. He’s blonde, buff, blue-eyed, cheerfully friendly, and with a happy-go-lucky persona about him. Sir Nighteye taught him to smile. Chose him to be the new wielder of One For All and without telling him anything planned to introduce him to Toshinori to make his choice reality. Doesn’t that sound... I don’t know... uncomfortably close to manipulation? Grooming? To taking this child under his wing and molding him to be pretty close to a new version of All Might?

I don’t know. Maybe if Sir Nighteye had lived this uncomfortable impression I have of him would be lessened as he began to internalize the full extent of possibilities for the future that he never thought possible before and acted more hopeful, more willing to take gambles because his visions were no longer a guarantee of what will happen.

#sorry for the rant #Naruto #mha #spoilers?

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tora-the-cat · 6 years ago

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OK. So. It had been brought to my attention that I may be speaking from a higher plane of existence earlier.

I'm gonna do my best to lay everything here out both for everyone's peace of mind and because I have more to say then I should and my skull is a meager prison.

@ lippeeria @ dairymold @ gingersnapdragonspice you DID NOT ask for this but you DID encorage it so I’m dragging you down with me.

Let’s unpack this piece by piece, shall we?

1. “Might Go Feral.”

A warning

2. “Might Galaxy Brain”

A prediction.

3. about Kabuto being Shin after he faked his death

I believe this is where I started to lose people. Hear me out.

I. physical similarities

-they both have grey hair. it's different shades in the anime, sure, but I'd hazard to guess that it isn't in the manga b/c it's all black and white.

-Kabuto's haircut in one of the youngest pics I could find of him had a haircut very similar to that of Shin. It is also the haircut he seems to have when he meets orochimaru.

-thy both have black eyes.

-Kabuto is only 3 centimeters taller then Shin

-Shin has bags under his eyes. Kabuto is the closest thing Naruto has to Long Suffering College Grad Energy, and thus spiritually has bags under his eyes.

-I don't know enough about drawing or character modeling or whatever to add much here.

-they both have terrible fashion sense.

II. Histories/timeline

Ok, cold, hard facts first.

-Kabuto was taught Medical Ninjutsu at a very young age by Nono.

-Nono named Kabuto. Kabuto means 'helmet'.

-Danzo threatened to cut the funding for Nono's orphanage unless Nono gave him one of the orphans off record

-Kabuto overheard and volenteered.

-Kabuto entered ROOT under Danzo

-He specializes in Medical Ninjtusu and Infiltration.

-He was freqently sent out of village for missions.

-Shin means 'new'.

-We don't know how old Shin was

So, let me spin you a shadow:

Your name is Kabuto. Or, at least, your given name is Kabuto- given by a woman who heads an orphanage and found you in a ditch without memories. You don’t mind, though- Nono is the kindest person ever, probably, and Kabuto means Helmet. A helmet is armour for the head- a protector. You think it was probably meant to be teasing, when she gave it, but you still take pride in it anyway.

She teaches you how to heal because you beg her to, because you want to help her get more money to heal. She was already tight on money before you got here, you’ve heard, and you don’t want to make her life any harder. She deserves so much better then that. She deserves the world, but you don’t have that yet. The most you can give her is your attention, and whatever skill you might have.

Her smile is sad when you ask the first six times, but, by the seventh you’ve noticed a dent in the amount of food she can buy each week, and she accepts after she makes you promise that it’s what you want to do. She warns you that it’s hard, that healing takes years to master for ever seasoned chakra users, and paitently starts you on basic chakra techniques.

Two months later she gapes at you when you approach her at lunch, hands glowing with green light, and hugs you. She calls you a genius and pets your head, and you can’t tell if she’s whispering it as a blessing or a curse, but you know she’s wrong for the first time.

You aren’t a genius. If you were, then you’d be able to find a way to give her everything she wants. As it is, you can barely help her stay afloat.

Still, five months after you start learning you’ve revived 16 dead rats around the orphanage and are finally allowed to actually help Nono. By now, you’ve come to see the other kids as family- the younger ones bring you dead rodents to practice on, and the older ones pester you into eating and sleeping when you get caught up in your work. You wish you could do more but, for now, you are content.

And then a man named Danzo comes to the orphanage and you spy on him and Nono, and learn that he’s pressuring her into giving him a child from the orphanage for him to train up.

You know what you have to do- have to, because you can’t let it be anyone else, and you can’t let Nono tear herself up over having to pick one of you. You smirk as you slip out of the window the next night.

Kabuto, right? You protect the head- or, more specifically, the head of the orphanage.

You meet up with Danzo, and he demands to know why he should take you in particular. Your heart thuds nervously in your chest, and you have an idea. It’s risky, sure, and you were going to wait at least another week before trying it, but this entire thing is ‘risky’. You hold your hand to the space between your eyes, and you do the only thing you can- you heal, and hope it’ll be enough as you wisk off your glasses with clear vision.

Apparently that works, because you are stripped of your name and put though test after test after test, and then brought down to a bunker, where you are introduced to more nameless kids. Danzo-sama tells you that Konoha is built up by comradere and that this is your team, made up of a boy with coal eyes and a fish mask who looks maybe a year older then you, a boy with skin as pale as paper and a mouse mask who looks much younger then you, and a girl who looks almost exactly like the first boy with a frog mask. They all smile at you and you feel happy for the first time since you left the orphanage.

Weeks later, in quiet whispers, you are telling each other secrets- everything you can remember about your life before Danzo. You aren’t supposed to, you know, but you also know that you can’t forget Nono or any of the others, just like Fish and Frog- Shisui and Sumi- can’t forget their names. Mouse asks you what your name is, and you almost answer, but you don’t.

Kabuto, your mind whispers, but that isn’t right anymore. There isn’t really a head you want to protect- Sage knows you don’t give a shit about Danzo’s well being, not that you’ll ever say it.

You hesitate only a moment, and answer Shin. It means new, and it almost fits. Mouse repeats it, like it’s a spell, or something special, and you think one day it will.

Mouse looks up at you with big sad eyes, and says that he doesn’t remember his name, and you smile at him. You feel a wave of De ja vu as you offer to give him a name, and wonder if you looked as excited as he did when Nono gave you your name. You wonder if this was how she felt- nervous, but loving.

Your first thought is to name him after amour, like you were- Yoroi, maybe. The idea is a horrible one, though, and you know this. Here, with Danzo, in ROOT where you are now, no one can afford to be a protecter for someone else.

You name the boy ‘Sai’, something sharp and stabbing, and pray to the sage it’ll keep him alive as his eyes light with joy and he almost squeals.

(You make eye contact with Sumi- Frog, you can’t afford to make that slip audiably- and give a bitter smile. No one can afford to be a protecter, here, but you had a feeling it wouldn’t stop her any more then it would stop you.)

//lets put a pin in that for now and move on, cause I’m sure you get the point.

now, I believe we were at-

4. “and Shisui being a ROOT operative”

Ok so first off- I’m not taking Itachi Gaiden as cannon, mostly because I haven’t read it and also I’ve heard it directly contridicts me. Also I don’t have internet while I’m writing this part and probably won’t bother to fact check it, so sorry it isn’t as thorough as the last bit. Anyway.

-This entire idea is based on the fact that Shisui has his Mangyekyo when he’s so young, and it isn’t adressed in the Anime or Manga because he’s. Super dead.

-But, like, you can only get Mangyekyo by killing/watching the death of your most special person, right? Lets run with that.

5. “who got his mangyeko when Shin 'died' because the two of them were close”

Your name is Shisui Uchiha, and you’re never going to forget that. It’s repeated like a mantra in your head, over and over again, a constant buzz in the background.

Danzo has already taken so much- too much- from you and your twin sister, Sumi. He can’t have your names.

He already took Mouse’s first name, if he ever had one, and Sumi cried after she felt Snake’s chakra flicker and dim as he the two of you watched him give up his name for a lie. He will never have either of yours.

You live with “Sai” and “Shin” for years, and you are closer then anyone else could ever be. You don’t trust much, but you trust each other. You trust Shin to drop whatever he’s doing and heal any of you if you so much as bruise. You trust Sai to be a voice of reason despite being the youngest, even if his voice breaks all of your hearts every time you hear it get slightly more monotone. You trust Sumi to protect all of you, no matter what. And they trust you to be their heart, keep them as close to alive as they can be, with smiles and meaningful looks that are harder to draw from each of them each day.

Sometimes, Sumi and Sai go to sleep and it’s just you and Shin, and you plan. you scheme.

The four of you won’t die here. You can’t.

One day, Shin is taken away by Danzo-sama for a secret meeting. Danzo-sama tells him something and, for the first time since you tried to ask him about his actual name, he keeps a secret.

That night you watch him sigh, take a pill, and settle his face into something so cold it freezes you. It’s the face he wears when you stay up trying to plan your escape, but different, somehow. More resigned. more distant.

He starts pulling away from the three of you, after that day, and you get sent on more and more missions. A month after he started acting weird, Danzo-sama took the four of you up a mountain and seperated you- Shin and Sai went into the ravine, and you and Sumi went up the mountain. Danzo-sama coldly told you and Sumi to kill one another or you would both die, and left.

You panic. Sumi will always, always protect you, put you first, and you know that, but it’s still somehow a shock when she takes a kunai and moves to stab herself.

You’re fast, though, the fastest of the three of you by far, but still not quite fast enough. She stabs herself, and it isn’t fatal, but it makes you almost sob anyway, and you flash over to her and take the kunai from her. She makes eye contact with you, and it’s devestating to see the acceptance there. She expects you to kill her.

It was barely a thought in your mind, until she looked at you like it was the only choice she thought you had. Your hand shakes and you have a monsterous moment of consideration, before you come to your senses and knock her out.

You need to find Shin.

Shin’s chakra is impossible for you to find, as always- his has always been so muddled, so inconsistant, and you’ve never been much of a sensor anyway- but Sai’s is easy. For the first time in years, the boy is erratic and emotional, until it isn’t. until it’s still and muted, like he’s sleeping, and somehow you speed up even faster to find them. You see them and they’re laying side by side on the ground, almost like they’re sleeping together as they so often do, but dread pools in your stomach anyway.

You walk closer and neither of them look hurt, but you feel at their chakra and fuck fuck no please no please-

You’re by their side in a flash, and Shin smiles at you, and for the first time ever you don’t smile back. He’s dying. You can feel his chakra fading, and he looks at you and opens his mouth to speak and coughs up blood.

“You’re sick.” You observe dumbly, somewhere between detached and horrified. He rolls his eyes at you like he’s annoyed that you’re stating the obvious and then he finally manages to speak, and he gets halfway through his final demand to watch Sai before he breaks into a final coughing fit and dies.

Your eyes burn. At first they’re just tears and you ignore them entirely, but then Shin’s eyes go wide as they start to fade and you can see much more clearly, and the ever present mantra of your name gets louder and louder-

6. and then used his kotoamatsukami on Sai to keep him safe and in the dark, sorta morbidly parralelling Itachi a year or two later.

Shisui Uchiha.

Sai wakes up just as you’re finally managing to get a hold of yourself, and you don’t even know what you’re doing when you look him in eyes that are as red as yours must be- fuck- and whisper “Kotoamatsukami”.

You enter Sai’s head, and it’s tempting to take everything. To take all the happy memories he has of the four of you so he doesn’t feel the pain of killing Shin, but you can’t. He’s going to Danzo, and he can’t afford to have an ounce of humanity left.

Instead of soothing his pain, you tweak his mind so he thinks that he killed Shin himself, and tear out anything that even vaguely has anything to do with the Sharringan. You dull his and box away his emotions, so he never feels strongly enough to activate them again. Then you make him fall back asleep, forgetting you were even at the scene of Shin’s death, for Danzo to collect.

(You leave a child broken purposefully in the most traumatic way you can manage to the whims of a man who only wants to use him as an asset to a village that doesn’t really care about him, and you never get to fully appreciate how history repeats itself only a few years later.)

It’s all you can do. It can’t be enough, but it’s all you have.

You go back to Sumi and you choke on a sob as you do the same thing to her- you convince her that she killed you, that you got a stab in while you could, and that she bured you to ashes with a fire jutsu. You block off her chakra and emotions to avoid the sharringan too, and then you dissapear up the mountain.

You spend months up there, waiting for Danzo to find you, but he never does. You sneak back into the village, directly into the Uchiha compound, and slip into the Uchiha orphanage on a whim- just to see if you could. It’s not like you have anything left to loose.

You plead amnesia when people ask about your past, and exceed in the Academy, and meet a boy named Itachi and love him even if it hurts. You join the ANBU, and avoid Danzo for years, and never stop trying to find Sai and Sumi for a second.

In the end it’s danzo that almost kills you and you run once again, and you watch another of your most precious people develop the Mangyekyo, and it’s almost funny.

You fling yourself off of a cliff into a river, and laugh the whole way down, because you refuse to cry in your last moments.

(Your name is Kabuto, again, because you have killed Shin. You work for Danzo for years and never lay eyes on Sai again because you can’t afford to care about him, and you don’t really know what happened to Shisui but you can feel Sumi amoung the ranks, so he must be dead. You don’t have the chance to mourn him as you are sent on another mission, and you aren’t Kabuto for long.

Your name changes constantly, and you can almost convince yourself you don’t care. Years later the Uchiha massacare happens and you can barely bring yourself to care as you go on another mission for Danzo-

And meet Nono. And kill Nono. And meet Orochimaru. You think Shisui would find it funny, how consistantly fucked up your life is.)

7. IDK

A lie. I’ve thought about this a lot and there is nothing I don’t know.

#naruto #Kabuto Yakushi #ROOT #Shisui uchiha #sai #uchiha sai #uciha oc #ROOT!Shisui #shin #shin (naruto)#shin yakushi #Danzo Shimura #fuck danzo lives #nono yakushi #long post #kotoamatsukami #uchiha #naruto headcannon

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fourangers · 6 years ago

Text

Perhaps, in the end, it’s fate

Summary: With one different tilt of the destiny, many other paths can be unfolded. However between them, there would be always an automatic pull since they share an interchangeable fate.

It's ninjaverse AU, completely different timeline. Teacher!Naruto, father!Sasuke, lil!Sarada with a harmless crush on Nardo. No prior pairings with Sasuke (and Naruto btw) because babies can be created through power of SCIENCE! (or in this case, Orochimaru’s experiments).

Based on February prompt from Sun and Moon Challenge, check it out once you can! SNS, T-rated. Comedy and Romance.

AO3 link | FFnet link

⏤.⏤

Squinting his eyes, he swallowed dryly with fingers crossed. He hoped his future mentor would be wise and kind, his teammates nice and welcoming. If he could stretch a little bit more in this wishing department, maybe Sakura will be part of his team. Well, anything, anyone but Sasuke. It was already humiliating enough losing his first kiss to that bastard, going on missions with him would be. The. Worst.

Iruka cleared his throat, staring the list. "Well, Team 7 will be Haruno Sakura..."

Naruto inhaled sharply, tightening his fists.

"Uchiha Sasuke..." He could hear Sakura's jubilant scream all across the classroom, in midst of other feminine complaints and whining. Naruto groaned too.

"...and Hyuuga Neji."

Huh.

That was...sort of unexpected. Really unexpected.

Naruto frowned, wondering why it felt so out of place that he wouldn't be part of this team.

Iruka continued to recite. "That means that the last team will be Rock Lee, Tenten and Uzumaki Naruto."

He threw a tentative glance towards his future teammates, trying not to get freaked out towards the most humongous eyebrows he had ever met in his life. This boy was also wearing a spandex, a bowl cut haircut style and a goofy smile. His female teammate, on the other hand, simply smiled once she noticed him, waving her hand.

Naruto awkwardly waved back, butterflies squirming in his stomach. A brand new life lied ahead of him and he couldn’t wait to get into his first ninja mission.

His new teacher was a bigger weirdo named Maito Gai. He wore Lee’s same spandex and had even thicker brows, but every qualm was instant quelled once he showed impressive taijutsu skills. He was also unbelievably patient and kind with his protegées, taking notes of their strengths and deficiencies, even teaching basic ninjutsus skills to Naruto that he didn’t manage to learn back in ninja Academy.

Gai had auto-proclaimed rival to Team 7’s leader, some shady guy named Kakashi. They stumbled towards that team on a rather frequent basis while watching Gai’s bravados and weird contests with Kakashi laidback responses. That also meant that Naruto and Lee were busy wooing (or at least trying to) Sakura. Noticing Lee’s unsuccessful attempts to ask her out made him shift for another strategy; concentrating on the other rival ergo Uchiha Sasuke.

(though frankly, while sprawled on the bed after another grueling day of training, Naruto had to admit that what he wanted the most was to check if Sasuke, who is another orphan like him, was doing ok on his own)

Sasuke egged him on, honestly. Calling him a total dumbass, smirking while they bickered, it was refreshing someone acknowledge him aside his teammates.

Sakura was treating him better in comparison to the Academy days, much to his positive surprise. She muttered something about Sasuke giving her a blistering lecture, defending Naruto out, which broke his wall for a second.

Chuunin exams arrived, Lee and Tenten losing in the preliminaries, fueling Naruto to get a victory for the team. His fight against Hyuuga Neji ended with some broken bones, painful conversations, a promise and a new friend. He was looking forward to see Sasuke defeat Gaara to honor Konoha, however, as life was full of unexpected changes, that innocuous exam ended with the Sandaime Hokage murdered and the village being attacked.

The village council convinced Kakashi be a temporary Hokage, everyone gathering around to fix the destruction. Soon they returned to their old routine with the usual genin missions while they went back to train. Naruto kept helping Tenten to conjure better weapons as well as sparring with Lee. He had to admit that while Gai was a good teacher, he wished he could expand even further his skills to something other than taijutsu…

Before he could get back to the idyllic days, out of nowhere, Sasuke disappeared. Rumors spread seeing Sakura’s swollen eyes and Kakashi handling a mission to retrieve him. All genins he knew assembled a team with Shikamaru as the leader and Neji to talk him through.

The mission was a complete utter failure.

“He just didn’t listen to me. I even mentioned you Naruto-kun, how it’s possible for anyone to get out from our personal darkness and conquer fate but still…” Neji shook his head, swallowing a soldier pill to replenish his depleted chakra.

Words of disagreement lodged on his throat but he couldn’t voice it out. Naruto knew, somehow, that if it were him, instead of Neji, maybe…Maybe he’d be able to convince Sasuke, or…

After this incident, he noticed Sakura’s grim expression when she started her medic nin training, as well as Neji’s renewed determination to change the Hyuuga clan. Naruto questioned himself, why he wanted with almost the same intensity to bring Sasuke back to Konoha, despite wondering if he’d make a difference. He’s not even his teammate…

And yet he pondered; was this the reason why he accepted Jiraiya’s tutelage, when Gai mentioned about him when they went to retrieve Tsunade?

But as painful that experience was for everyone involved in, life moved on. Even shadows casting on Team 7’s eyes were blurring out, Sakura mentioning her ex-teammate with a somewhat nostalgia instead of bitterness, and Neji found a closer friendship with Naruto as years passed by.

Naruto questioned himself then, the irrational need to work to the bone 24/7, red iris plaguing his dreams sometimes. He was evolving, he was becoming a stronger ninja and yet he always felt that he didn’t reach his full potential. As if his body was waiting for a worthy rival to inspire him.

Team 7 and Team Gai were celebrating together for gaining their chuunin title, as well as Neji’s jounin promotion. Lee and Sakura used this opportunity to reveal that they were dating, shocking them all. They were a cute couple; Naruto figured, so he approached her to drop a quiet confession.

“You know, it’s funny but I used to have a crush on you.” He muttered, sipping his tea.

Sakura stared with wide eyes, before letting out a short chuckle.

“What!” Naruto yowled. “I mean, don’t sell yourself short, you are cute so a lot of boys liked you and I used to be one of them so⏤”

Sakura shook her head, giggling. "No, no, no, I mean...I thought you used to have a crush on Sasuke.”

His jaw dropped to the ground. “What?!”

“Yes, whenever our teams met, you were busier staring at him and trying to get him to fight you than trying to talk with me. So I thought maybe you were into him? Like the typical boy who pull the girl’s pigtails because he likes her. Well, though you two were boys. Was I wrong?”

Naruto was scarlet red to the tip of his hair, mouth still slack, unable to formulate any complete sentence. Sakura’s smile grew more mischievous so he settled to avoid looking at her, wolfing down his plate.

Sakura pursed her lips, sagging on her seat. “Sasuke huh...he’s coming back, you know.”

For a second, the world stood stock still. “What?”

She shrugged, fingers twirling strands of hair. “You heard that right. He wants to go back to Konoha, claiming that he saw the errors of his way. So he traded important information about Sound Village and Orochimaru to regain his citizenship and ninja status in Konoha.”

A silence fell between them as they both took their time to absorb this bout of information. Sakura cheered up once her boyfriend was back with fresh food, but Naruto was lost thinking about all possibilities.

Few days later, Sasuke arrived at the gates, battered and tired, cradling a cloth wrapping with his arms. He was already the main gossip of the town, then the whispers grew exponentially once they confirmed that he was, indeed, holding a little child.

At a tender age of 18, this young man was already a father.

Naruto hid in some corner of a store, glancing surreptitiously as Sasuke strolled through the streets, uncaring to people gawking and muttering around him. The toddler began shuffling, hiccuping. Those small noises soon turned to loud wails that made him stop at once, cradling her close as he made little bounces though this wasn’t enough to calm her down. People made annoyed faces and had quicken their paces, everyone refused to help him out.

Listening to the cries that increased in volume, he bit his lip, taking a deep breath. He emerged from his spot, walking closer to Sasuke who appeared a little frantic.

“Um.” Naruto scratched the back of his head when Sasuke turned to face him with a glare, hands busy while his daughter kept crying. “Maybe you can try putting her body resting over your upper arm, like a tiger resting on a branch.”

Sasuke stared skeptical, despite obeying his suggestion. Her short yowls decreased, breathing becoming more even till she slept in his arms. Needless to say, Sasuke was rather impressed.

“Uh yeah⏤Iruka-toosan sometimes asks me to help him out taking care of children in the daycare center. I got some of those tips.”

Sasuke grunted back, gazing upon his baby.

“So…” Naruto smacked his lips. “Welcome back? Uh, what’s her name?”

Sasuke huffed, placing her head on his left shoulder. “Sarada.”

Naruto held her tiny hand, smiling with a whisper. “Sarada-chan~welcome to Konoha. You’re gonna love living here, meeting auntie Sakura, uncle Neji, Kakashi, me...how old is she?”

Sasuke scrunched up his face, staring downwards. “9 months. I thought...I’d be fine on my own but in the end, we needed⏤” He thinned his lips. “I said too much.” Before Naruto would ask any further question, Sasuke said. “I should get going. Thank you, Naruto.”

Naruto nodded back, watching the brisk steps moving away from him.

Once Sasuke had settled in the old Uchiha compound, Sakura, Neji and Kakashi visited him. They were welcoming, but absent. After all, Sakura was busy in Konoha’s hospital, Kakashi was going to be officially appointed as Konoha’s Hokage, Neji was helping his cousin changing Hyuuga clan’s laws.

There was a significant chasm between Sasuke and other ninjas of his generation, since he was now a father between young adults, and left Konoha while the Rookie Nine nurtured their relationship over the years. He made no effort to draw the bridge too, cooped in his house taking care of his daughter most of the time. And even when the gang would reunite, he was always the last one to arrive, the first to go.

On some occasions Sakura would succeed in convincing him to bring his daughter whenever team Gai and team 7 would gather in her house. Sasuke however, maintained his distance with the crew, aside some quiet conversation with Neji.

It was almost like living in an old film reel, rolling all over again. Watching Sasuke as a child from afar, craving to reach his hand and talk to him but never building enough courage to do so. They became mere acquaintances, the occasional nod of recognition when they crossed paths, making small talks while Sasuke was nursing Sarada. Soon Naruto became jounin when Sasuke managed the chuunin title, Lee mentioning he and Sakura took care of Sarada while he was doing the exams.

He stared down the porcelain mask while the townspeople cheered the end of Kakashi’s appointed ceremony. Gai stood next to him, and Naruto smiled from his teacher’s happiness emanating from afar. Long time ago, he remembered desiring conquering such coveted position, but nowadays he was content knowing that Kakashi would make a decent Hokage.

(why did he lose so easily his determination to follow his ambitions?)

Kakashi didn’t waste much time in celebration, throwing mission after mission on him, one longer than the other and in some faraway sketchy places. Most those times Naruto could only hear the faint echoes of their sprinting, casting long shadows on the cavernous walls. He was responsible exploding laboratories while Tenten gathered reports, weird shapes submerged in purpleish water.

How bizarre. Sometimes he could swear some of those shapes had some resemblance with Sasuke.

⏤.⏤

Iruka was like a father to him and he deserved this long vacation after years of tireless tutelage. But still.

Screams. Collisions. Little imps running around all over the place. Those squirmy little brats slithering out of his grasp and making a racket.

Naruto really needed to work in refusing Iruka’s requests, but the older nin was just this damn persuasive.

He spread his clones in every corner of the daycare center, however, it didn’t seem to be enough. The moment the kids understood that his bunshins could pop out with some harder shove, they made their newest game dispelling as many clones as possible.

Yet those kids were old enough to learn basics of ninja skills, so other teachers threw such responsibility on Naruto’s shoulders, considering he had a higher rank. He had a hard time tampering down his strength, why are children such squiggly delicate beings that cried with the littlest wound?

Naruto spent only one day with them and he was already wondering if he would leave this experience unscathed. Nevertheless he summoned every bit of his patience and taught the fundamentals of aiming, giving them the chance to train too.

He heard collective praises and some gasps coming from afar, approaching and noticing the dark haired girl concentrated on her task. Whoa...time surely flies by pretty damn fast. He had forgotten that Sarada was already 5 years old. Naruto snorted when he saw that most shurikens she threw hit the bullseye.

But that wasn’t enough to satisfy her, since she picked all the paper shurikens and threw with renewed zeal. The rest of the kids went away playing on their own, but Sarada remained in training. Heaving tired breaths, she flung another shuriken but this time it flew past the target.

She made a frustrated growl, running to dislodge the weapon that dug deep in the bark of a tree. Naruto heard a concealed hiccup, as Sarada rubbed her eyes with her arm.

“Hey, don’t worry about it, I got this.” Naruto appeared in a blink, quirking a mollifying smile and removed the shuriken with ease. He offered to the young Uchiha, she accepted the weapon with contemplative eyes.

“You’re Lee-san’s friend right?” She realized.

“Sure am! I’m Uzumaki Naruto, it’s nice to see you again Sarada-chan.” Naruto patted her head. “You know, it’s really important to train your skills, but taking a break is also equally as important. Letting your body rest when it’s so tired, so it can grow stronger the next time.”

Sarada pouted, then muttered. “Auntie Sakura told me stories about back when my father was my age. He was a genius, always great with whatever he did, but I’m…”

“Ah yeah your dad...I also remember that he used to train all day and night over and over again. You’ll get as good as him in no time, don’t worry about it.”

“But…” Sarada bit her lower lip, shuffling her feet. “Father once talked to me about the Uchiha clan and how it used to be a very respectable clan and I have to follow their footsteps so⏤”

“Ugh, who cares!” Naruto rolled his eyes. “I think it’s too much that this bastard⏤”

She gasped. “You said a bad word!”

“S-sorry.” He scratched his head. “Anyways, I think it’s unfair to put such heavy duties on your shoulders. Your dad suffered back he was your age, I don’t want you to suffer the same. You should be only Sarada-chan after all right! You’ll make your father proud in your own pace.”

“You think so?”

“I know so! After all, I’m already proud of you and I’m your teacher, right.” He messed her hair, patting on it.

Sarada stared down her shuriken, thumbs sliding over it. She peeked through her fringes, a rosy blush dusting her cheeks. “Thank you Uzumaki-sensei.”

“Oh, you can call me Naruto.” He grinned.

Her voice pumped with more excitement as she said. “Naruto-sensei!”

On the following days Naruto continued with his ninja classes, juggling between paying attention to all students, focusing on the rowdy ones, teaching those lessons and avoid any kind of catastrophe might ensue. He had found another mounting respect towards Iruka, those kids just can’t be real.

In every class Sarada was the first to complete it with pristine score, dashing next to him with eyes silently asking for his praise.

And praise he did, with words of encouragement and approval, injecting an impressed tone as he ruffled her hair. Every single time this gave her renewed motivation to improve herself. Naruto gazed fondly from afar as Sarada hopped between trees with ease. His entire childhood was consumed by hatred and neglect from adults until he met Iruka, he’d never subject any other kid to such trauma once again.

“Naruto-sensei!” Sarada exclaimed, hugging his arm with a tight grip.

Naruto beamed, patting her hair. He was starting to see the perks of this profession, was this the reason why Iruka continued to be a teacher despite having to take care of these little brats everyday?

A baritone voice chimed from behind. “Ah, I see. Expected nothing less I guess.”

They turned around, facing the familiar piercing dark eyes. Sasuke gazed back in fond amusement.

“So you’re really the Naruto-sensei my daughter kept gushing about all last week.”

Sarada pale cheeks reddened at once. “Father!”

“Alright little one, it’s time to go home.” Sasuke hushed by patting on her back. “Go grab our things ok.” After Sarada obeyed him with a pronounced pout, Sasuke muttered once she was out of the picture. “Long time no see.”

“Yeah…” Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. “You look well I guess.”

“Hn. When Lee told me you’re subbing for Iruka-sensei, I didn’t quite believe at first. I thought you’re a jounin?”

“I am, but Iruka-toosan made me promise that I’d take care of them while he’s on vacation. I thought, well, kids right. I took care of ‘em sometimes, one whole month would be nothing and⏤”

“It’s hell isn’t it?” Sasuke smirked.

Naruto dropped his shoulders at once, a long groan vibrating on his throat. “Totally. I was already dead on the first day.”

Sasuke nodded in agreement. “Sarada thankfully is more helpful than most children. But still, where do they get all this energy?”

“I know right??” Naruto laughed. “They look so small I thought they wouldn’t be much trouble but whoa, did I misjudge on this one.”

Sarada arrived with backpack ready. “I’m back father!”

“Good. Maybe we’ll go eat outside for a change.”

“Oh! You should eat Ichiraku Ramen then, it’s perfect for cold day like today!” Naruto said.

Sasuke shook his head. “You and your Ichiraku Ramen, I remember you used to drag Lee and Tenten to eat at that place.”

“Ichiraku Ramen is the greatest, I was just doing them a favor to acknowledge such fact. There’s no other restaurant that would have such delicious braised pork, a tender yet firm noodles coupled with the rich texture and savory miso broth. It’s the best.”

“If Naruto-sensei said so, maybe we should try it!” Sarada chirped. A lightbulb went off and she added. “Maybe he could go with us!”

Both young men crossed their eyes before deflecting in haste, Naruto cleared his throat as Sasuke thinned his lips. “Naruto-sensei looks pretty tired, maybe we shouldn’t bother him too much Sarada.”

“Oh, she’s not bothering me for sure.” Naruto retorted. “But maybe you want to have some quiet time together with your father, right, Sarada-chan?”

“Father wouldn’t mind if you tag along Naruto-sensei, right?” Sarada pulled out the most pitiful expression she could ever muster, jutting her lower lip. “Right?”

Glancing in between her frantic daughter and the bewildered blue eyes, Sasuke exhaled tiredly. He mumbled under his breath. “Is it ok for you to go with us Naruto?”

“Um, ok. Sure!” He messed with Sarada’s hair when she jumped in joy. “I’m going to ask my favorite Ramen flavor for you Sarada-chan, I’m sure you’re going to love it.”

Despite initial reservations, they maintained a cheerful conversation peppered with Naruto’s booming voice and Sarada’s exclaims while they were walking on the way to the restaurant. This time though, Sasuke appeared to be a more sociable mood, chatting back with occasional grunts, which Naruto didn’t mind with his easy-going nature.

Sasuke insisted paying the bill despite all his protests, explaining that this was a small gesture of gratitude for taking care of his daughter. After waving goodbyes, they went on separate ways, smile playing on both their lips.

“Naruto-sensei is like the sun right!”

Sasuke blinked, head tilted to one side to gawk at her. Sarada linked her fingers together, placing to one side of her cheek as she whispered with a dreamy voice.

“He’s so nice and friendly, full of energy and bright. And when he smiles you just feel happier too, it’s wide and sincere, he makes your mood so much better. I love his hair, it’s golden exactly like the sun and his eyes have such a beautiful shade of blue, I’d never get tired looking at his eyes and⏤” She stopped her diatribe once she noticed her father’s peering eyes. “What?”

Sasuke studied his daughter, before settling with a long sigh.

She wrinkled her nose. “Anyways, as I was saying…”

⏤.⏤

2nd chapter here

⏤.⏤

AN: at first I thought that it’d be a one-shot but it got too much material for only a one-shot. So...lol. It’s gonna be a two-shot.

#SunAndMoonChallenge2019 #NaruSasu #SasuNaru #drabble #two-shot #snstext #sn fic

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evartandadam · 7 years ago

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I want to write a thing about Sasuke’s development throughout Naruto- and where Kishimoto failed his character. (I have been asked about my opinions on Sasusaku, but before I can remotely get to that, I need to establish what I think of Sasuke as a character by himself. He is a very interesting character, and he deserves his own rant.)

There are two important points in Sasuke’s life, and both of these points establish the main theme Kishi wanted Sasuke’s character to feature.

The first point is when Sasuke leaves to train under Orochimaru, and the second is when he is approached, and changed by Madara/Obito.

Point 1: Taking the Path of an Avenger. (Main Theme)

In Naruto:

Sasuke’s main theme throughout the series is slowly succumbing to the darkness for power.

He leaves his village and friends behind. Does this mean he doesn’t care about them? Of course not. He cares. But the point is that he chooses his revenge over his potentially fulfilling life with his friends. He would have been much happier if he could have just let his revenge go (and he knows this), but he didn’t. This is the point Kishimoto wants to drive home about Sasuke throughout Shippuden. Sasuke chose revenge over love (and forgiveness).

And who can blame Sasuke? His brother, after murdering their entire clan, DARED Sasuke to kill him. Sasuke, as a 7 year old, was faced with a responsibility to take care of family business, something no child should have to wrestle with. But it happened. And growing up, he feels it is his job to kill his brother. He listened to Itachi, was molded by Itachi. A traumatic external force in his life effected him greatly. Killing Itachi is now his DUTY.

The problem is that Sasuke is now only 13, and still developing mentally and emotionally, so he isn’t necessarily going to make the best decision about fulfilling this duty.

He knowingly goes to a terrorist S-rank criminal who wants to use him as a vessel, instead of staying at the village with Kakashi, whose power almost rivals said criminal.

Sasuke doesn’t know really anything about his own village, obviously.

He doesn’t know anything about Kakashi or his abilities. How strong and famous this man really is for being a ruthless killing machine by the age of 13, like Itachi!

Kakashi would have been a great person to learn from. That’s why Kakashi wanted to teach him.

But Sasuke assumes that because Kakashi is a “good guy”, he is weaker than Orochimaru. And this is his mistake.

Because his brother is “evil,” and very powerful, that must mean that evil people are better ninja, right?

Sasuke acts on what he does not know. And he does this all the time!

Ok so he’s 13 and kind of lacks basic foresight and judgement. So he goes to Orochimaru. And we skip forward 2 and 1/2 years.

In Naruto Shippuden:

Sasuke is much stronger.

He has held onto his core beliefs. (he refuses to kill innocent people for personal gain.)

Sasuke at this point is super cool, cause he’s edgy, but not a terrible person. Everyone loves Sasuke at this point. He’s got a cool top that shows off those pecs he’s been working so hard on. And he gives less of a crap than ever before.

He is mysterious, because the author purposefully doesn’t let the audience see his thought process or emotions. But we know enough.

But then what happens? He kills Itachi, as he planned all along. What he doesn’t count on is that Itachi isn’t the evil entity he had pictured in his little kid brain. And someone brings this to his attention. Makes sure he knows.

And this brings us to the second point.

Point 2: Manipulation from External Forces (Extension of Main Theme)

Before we get back to the Naruto timeline, let’s go over what makes Sasuke fall for this external manipulation:

"Sasuke is basically a very pure person who doesn't think about whether what he does is good or bad. He just does what he wants to do, which causes trouble for others" - Masashi Kishimoto

Itachi describes Sasuke this way:

And I love this, because it does describe him perfectly. I think this statement stuck out to many readers.

What Itachi means is that Sasuke:

lacks the ability to look ahead and judge things clearly.

He is easily influenced- gullible, even.

And even though he managed to cling to some moral standard up until Itachi’s death- not killing innocent people- everything else is easily replaced on a whim.

By focusing solely on killing Itachi, Sasuke left himself wide open to attack. Not physical attack. Something even more dangerous: emotional manipulation. He neglected every aspect of himself other than the physical- and the desire for revenge. What I’m saying is that Sasuke is extremely emotionally stunted. And people recognize this, and use this to their advantage. Anyone can come up to him and plead to his cause, and he will fall for it, against any better judgement he may have. If he were a character in a video game, he essentially maxed out his stats in one area, and left every other area under-developed and weak.

His ideals always outweigh his reality.

So, how does this aspect of his character get him in trouble? Well, let’s discuss a very big shift in Sasuke’s character.

Madara’s influence:

Back to the Naruto timeline:

The truth about Itachi totally shakes Sasuke’s world. And “Madara” is totally loving this. He’s going to use this to his advantage.

So. Sasuke feels that he has a new duty. He must now somehow avenge his brother. And this means he should kill the Kage- wait, what?

Oh right. Madara is talking into his ear.

“Itachi literally lived and died for this, so obviously he wouldn’t want what I’m suggesting, but you should totally do the dirty work for me and destroy everything Itachi believed in. That way, you can avenge him. I’m totally like, empathizing with you right now. I’m definitely not just saying this to get you to do what benefits me.”

Ok, so of course, Sasuke blindly listens.

And this is the second part to the main theme that Kishimoto explores with Sasuke’s character. What happens when a person, devoid of anything in the world besides revenge, falls into a false sense of justice? What happens after that quest for vengeance is fulfilled?

And at this point in the show, we see a new Sasuke. This Sasuke is very different from before. Why?

Sasuke is throwing his past moral compass out the window.

He’s going to kill people he doesn’t even know are guilty of anything. (Danzo definitely saw it coming, but Tsunade? What has she done to Sasuke? She is a great Hokage! She has nothing to do with Itachi. Neither does Gaara, or the rest of the current Kage.)

But Sasuke doesn’t care about this! Madara convinced him that they are evil, because of their position.

The Kage are automatically evil, because they represent authority. And it’s important to recognize that Sasuke doesn’t care about past authority or current authority- it is not his authority, so therefore, it is bad. It needs to be purged.

Sasuke is putting his problems on unrelated people.

And this is when Sasuke really falls into some dark stuff. He is actually becoming more of a villain.

The Final War:

By the time we see him in the war, he is ranting about “revolution.”

Sasuke is very deluded. And it’s due to outside influence. He is young and brash, and his world is very small. So so very small. All he knew up until this point was revenge and his brother. He doesn’t know how to live a normal life, or how to let things go. It’s like he was asleep until this point, and he finally realized that there’s a bigger world out there, and he needs to do something about it!

Sasuke is rather pitiful. But very zealous and dangerous. And I think people in the fandom downplay this too much. People want to like Sasuke- resonate with him. Up until recently, everyone is nodding their heads like “we feel you Sasuke, this sucks.” But people need to recognize when pity needs to stop.

Sasuke’s best trait is hyper-focusing on his goal. And this is also the most dangerous thing about him. He is easy to manipulate, as I have established earlier. And he is on the far end of fanaticism. He isn’t thinking about individuals anymore. He is only thinking about the collective... kind of like... the Akatsuki?

After all, didn’t the Akatsuki want to create world peace by killing a bunch of innocent people and enforcing lack of conflict through silence?

And we all agree that the Akatsuki are totally missing the mark, correct?

After all, is it really for the greater good? Sacrificing innocent people for one’s own idea of peace? Kind of narcissistic to assume one knows best.

Sasuke is talking about doing WHATEVER IT TAKES to “change the world” to make it “better”. Whatever his version of “better” is. And this is totally wrong! How is becoming what you hate most supposed to prove that your version of peace is correct?

Sasuke is getting high on “justice.” And by justice, I mean elevating himself into the god plane. He thinks he is better than everyone else- his opinion is the only one that matters. After all, these pathetic people can’t possibly think for themselves. He must force them to see the truth!

And he thinks this because his world is so small, and “Madara”, implanted an idea onto his “blank canvas.”

This is literally what’s going through Sasuke’s mind during the final arc of the show. It is extreme, and exactly the opposite of what Naruto, our protagonist, believes. So obviously there is going to be a clash.

This is where I think the author screwed Sasuke over.

Ditching the Main Theme of Sasuke’s Character:

Sasuke up until this point only knows a few things: His first reason for existing was based on a lie, and he now thinks he is fighting for the truth- that Itachi died for nothing good, and it is up to him to change the world.

Naruto fights Sasuke, and when Sasuke realizes he can’t beat Naruto in a PHYSICAL FIGHT, he suddenly changes his drastic opinions on everything he believes in. He says “Sorry, I was crazy, let’s start over.” And that’s it. End credits start to roll.

Kishimoto took Sasuke’s character on a very long journey. And it was all leading up to this peak- the point where Sasuke literally bursts. Sasuke resembles a very specific type of person- a particular path one can take in life. It is about a boy who chose the life of vengeance over happiness and positive personal growth. And the consequences of that decision.

During the entire show, I am expecting something drastic to happen to Sasuke. He is a drastic character. He is a flawed character- a beautiful example of what revenge can do to a good person. As an author, it is important to make this character’s fate what it is being set up for- tragedy.

So there were two (good) writing options here:

Sasuke either needed to die, because his mind could not be changed and he was a danger to innocent people, or, he needed to be redeemed over a decent period of time.

By the time Sasuke enters the war, he is far gone. Is it possible to change his mind again? Sure. He is still young and bendable. But it wouldn’t take two seconds.

Madara didn’t change Sasuke’s mind- he filled blank space. Implanted an idea. He put something on a blank canvas.

Naruto, however, has to undo all of this brain washing. He has to change his mind.

There is a difference here.

Covering a blank canvas with color is easy. But covering those old colors with new ones is hard, and takes time.

As in, Kishi really needed to rethink his timeline for his manga.

The best thing he could have done, since he obviously wanted Sasuke to be redeemed, was to make Naruto fight Sasuke BEFORE the war.

Here’s an alternate timeline:

Naruto finally catches up with Sasuke before the war, and they fight it out. Sasuke loses, but only by a bit. And Naruto actually talks to him. Not the usual “this is my Dream”, but listening to Sasuke and discussing his experiences, and countering his opinion in a personal manner.

Naruto thinks he can’t change Sasuke’s mind, and he worries that if he doesn’t kill Sasuke, something bad will happen to those he cares about in the future. And Kishi puts a lot of time and emphasis on this encounter. This exchange of opinions. This is the cornerstone of their relationship up until this point.

But Naruto decides not to kill Sasuke, explaining the concept of unconditional love to him. And he leaves him.

And Sasuke spends time thinking on this.

And then the final battle begins, and Sasuke drops in, deciding on helping Naruto after all. Thus concluding the Naruto/Sasuke conflict.

This order of events would have been much better. Naruto and Sasuke fighting after the war seemed unnecessary, and it just didn’t flow. It made Sasuke look extremely fickle, when he is actually very stubborn.

Based on this sequence of events, why would Sasuke help Naruto defeat Obito? When Obito was literally trying to change the world “for the better,” just like Sasuke was. Maybe Sasuke didn’t agree on the method. Sasuke would rather kill everyone and start over with him as supreme leader. (Which is... worse than what Obito had in mind? Obito wanted everyone to live in a peaceful dreamworld, where everything was good.)

So, I guess my point is that Kishimoto had a path for Sasuke, and a few points to make about his choices. But he then ditched the consequences of those choices. Ignored the theme he created from the very beginning. In the canon timeline, we as an audience didn’t really learn any lessons from Sasuke’s journey. Sasuke’s part in the story kind of fizzled out. It didn’t have the zing I was hoping for.

Sasuke deserved more attention. More focus on the climax of his personal journey. And more time for the falling action after this climax.

For me to want to see him back at Kohona, I wanted more of his thought-process and journey. It would take time for a person as damaged as Sasuke to fit back into the social confines of his old village.

I would love additional thoughts on this! :)

#Sasuke Uchiha #sasuke #naruto #rambles #text post #masashi kishimoto #writing analysis

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yangssunglasses · 8 years ago

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No Summons Allowed

SSM day 15 prompt: The Slug and The Snake

Rated T

Available on FFnet

No Summons Allowed

It was a standard, even encouraged practice among those who held summoning contracts to bond with their summons outside of training and missions. It deepened the bond between the shinobi and the nin-animal as both parties got the chance to learn each other's personality and quirks, which in turn helped in perfecting their teamwork on field. That's why, when Sakura found a nest on a tree outside her and Sasuke's bedroom window, she only smiled and cooed at the pair of hawks sitting on their five eggs.

“Look, Sasuke-kun, they're just like us,” she told her husband with a bright smile as they lounged together on their bed. “They're going to be parents too.”

His gaze drifted down to her hand rubbing gently the still small swell on her stomach through the thin nightgown. He put his hand over hers, their fingers overlapping. Sakura sighed happily.

“Do you know when they will hatch?” she asked.

“In about a month,” he replied.

She hummed.

“Well, we've got more time before our baby comes. Maybe he or she will make a contract with the little hawks? What do you think?”

Sasuke scooted closer and nuzzled her neck. “I don't know. It depends on what our child will want.”

Sakura stretched her neck, exposing it to his gentle caresses. His mouth, nose, cheek brushed her delicate skin lightly, making her shiver. She'd never pegged him as a touchy-feely type of a lover, he was always so physically distant with everyone and avoiding close contact, but in the privacy of their bedroom he loved to touch her constantly. He couldn't keep his hands to himself, running them down her arms, back, stomach, putting them around her waist and holding her tightly. He'd never had enough, but she didn't complain as she enjoyed the intimacy just as much as he did.

“Well, it could be that our child will prefer something more powerful... like a slug,” Sakura mentioned playfully.

Sasuke's attentions to her neck stopped abruptly.

“Darling? What's wrong?” she asked, turning her head to look at him.

He wore a scrunched up expression as he kept rubbing her stomach slowly. “I suppose if our child becomes a medic like you, he or she would like a slug summon.”

Sakura raised herself on the elbow. “What is that supposed to mean?”

He looked back at her calmly. “You heard what I said.”

“Are you implying slugs aren't powerful?” she asked with an offended air on behalf of her summons.

“No, I meant they are best suited to medics. Their healing is very powerful,” he explained himself, the irritation seeping through despite his best efforts to keep his tone non-confrontational.

“They're invaluable in battle too! You should see Lady Katsuyu!” Sakura argued.

He really, really didn't want to argue about such a silly thing, but his wife was obviously wrong, so he couldn't help himself. “I understand you're being loyal to your summons, but objectively speaking, snakes are the most powerful from all the summons. Their versatility alone-”

“Slugs ARE incredibly versatile!” Sakura exclaimed. “They can't be broken or crushed, they can bend every way, divide into smaller slugs, make a safe cocoon around you-”

“Sakura, snakes are strong and sturdy and very agile, they can bend and make cocoons too and they're fast enough to dodge attacks instead of taking them. They don't need to divide when their scales are tough enough to withstand even big explosions.”

“Sasuke-kun, didn't Orochimaru teach you that the Slug always beats the Snake?” Sakura asked with narrowed eyes.

“Is that what Tsunade told you?” he replied with a snort. “It may work in a child's game, but the real life is different.”

Sakura pounced on top of him, one hand locked on his only wrist and pinning it down to the mattress, the other on his shoulder. She smirked down at his immobilized form.

“Aren't you getting a bit too haughty? You should cut the crap about this whole snake superiority. It's just a myth.” She leaned down to him to whisper in his ear. “Besides, don't you know... that a summon is only as good as the summoner?” She gave a small nibble on his earlobe and he went rigid as she drew up again. “That's why the Slug always wins,” she said boastfully.

“Sakura,” he said with a growl, roving his gaze over her appreciatively, “you don't know what you're getting into.”

“Oh, I do, darling.”

“Then you should put your money where your mouth is.” He wrenched his hand out of her grip and pulled her down into a demanding, hot kiss.

“Gladly,” she gasped out, before attacking him with her tongue once more.

In the end, the winner wasn't clear, but the tension between the couple due to their little spat was all worked out in the best of ways. Sasuke expected the matter of slugs and snakes to be forgotten entirely. It's not like they could predict how their child would turn out. They would just have to see in a few years.

A few days later, when he reached into a basket on the kitchen counter for a fresh, ripe and juicy tomato to snack on and instead came into contact with something cold, slimy and gross, he leaped away with a yelp of disgust. He held his hand up for an inspection. It was covered in a transparent, thick and gooey slime.

“What the hell,” he muttered a curse and quickly washed the muck off in the sink.

Then Sasuke very carefully approached the tomato basket and peered in. What he found inside made his blood boil.

“Sakura!” a yell resounded through the house. It was a short and urgent call, full of restraint. Something happened, not life-threatening, but important enough that her husband raised his voice to call for her assistance.

“Yes, darling?” Sakura appeared in the doorway after a short while it took her to come from the study.

Sasuke was sitting at the kitchen table with a dark expression on his face.

“Please explain why there is a fucking slug in my damn tomato basket,” he said tightly, gesturing at the basket on the table in front of him.

Sakura raised one pink eyebrow. “There's no need to be so coarse,” she commented on his language.

She checked inside the basket and there really was a small blue slug, just a finger long, innocently munching on the tomatoes. She smiled softly at the adorable sight of her summon.

“Thanks for finding her, I was wondering where she ran off to. Looks like she's got a little hungry, right, my little gourmand?” she asked the slug and it nodded shyly.

“Whatever. Just take it away. And keep it out of the kitchen in the future,” Sasuke said through gritted teeth.

Sakura frowned at him. “Why are you like this?” She gathered the slug in her palm and showed it to Sasuke. Cradled safely in her hold, it was a well-fed, happy and friendly slug. “This is Mi-chan, she's Katsuyu's great-granddaughter. Say hello to Sasuke, Mi-chan!” The slug moved its antennae up and down in greeting. “See how polite she is!” Sakura praised.

Sasuke wasn't as impressed, judging by his sour look and how his chair seemed to magically move back a few good inches.

“Sakura, I don't care about your slug's manners,” he told her. “It ate my tomatoes. Don't let it happen again or-”

“Or what?” she cut him off with a sweet smile. “Are you going to fight a little, itsy-bitsy slug? So you admit that slugs are a powerful threat? Just imagine how fast and strong she would grow if she keeps eating your tomatoes.”

Sasuke glared at her. So this was all about proving her point about slugs?

“Don't make such a scary face, Mi-chan will get hungry from the stress,” Sakura admonished. “And don't worry, next time I'll get her a nice big lettuce. Your tomatoes will be safe,” she added nonchalantly as she sashayed out of the kitchen with her slug in tow.

Sasuke's fists clenched as he watched her go.

She may have won this round, because she took him by surprise, but from now on... the battle was on.

Sakura enjoyed sleeping in on weekends. It wasn't out of ordinary for her to wake up and stretch out her arms only to find an empty, still warm spot in place of her husband. This time was no different, so Sakura only squinted and yawned cutely as she rolled to the center of the bed.

Something moved under the sheets.

The kunoichi stilled, instantly put on alert, chiding herself inwardly for overreacting. She was probably still dreaming.

Then something chilly and very much alive brushed against her calf.

Her scream of terror rattled the whole house.

In an instant, Sakura flung herself out of the bed. She crouched by the wall opposite to it, panting harshly, a kunai clutched defensively in front of her as she stared at the crumpled covers on the bed. Something was definitely wriggling under them.

Sasuke entered the bedroom. “What's going on?”

“Something's in the bed! Please kill it!” Sakura cried out. She was shaking like a leaf from the scare. Her husband's calm presence was reassuring in this crisis.

“Kill?” he asked dubiously, then lifted the covers. A small, purple snake was coiled on the bed in the warm spot previously occupied by Sakura's body. “Oh, it's just Koda, Aoda's youngest son. I had him help me yesterday and he stayed the night.” Sasuke held out his arm to the snake and it climbed on, wrapping around the warm appendage snugly.

“You mean you had a snake in our bed all night and you didn't tell me?” Sakura's voice rose a few octaves as she came to grips with this revelation. Her green eyes were shooting daggers at him. “What if it bit me?”

“He wouldn't, Koda is very well-behaved. Snakes instinctively seek out heat sources, so he just wanted to cuddle with you when I left.”

“Cuddle?” Sakura choked on the word. “With a snake? They're the least cuddly animals around.” She shuddered at the mere idea, unknowingly giving him the opening he needed.

“You don't know until you try. Here, pet him,” Sasuke held the snake out to her. Koda curiously poked out his bi-forked tongue, tasting the air. Sakura took it wrongly as a sign that he was going to bite and she jerked away with a paling face. She shook her head frantically.

“No! Take it away from me!” she cried out.

Sasuke cocked his head. “Are you afraid of a little, harmless snake?”

“I'm not! I just don't want to touch it!” she denied.

“Then you're afraid of touching a snake.” Sasuke smirked. Hook, line and sinker. “So you finally admit snakes are more fearsome and powerful. Even this tiny one scared a seasoned kunoichi like you to death.”

Sakura gaped at him. “Sasuke-kun!” she gasped, eyes bugging out at his devious mind game. “You... you did this on purpose!”

He didn't bother to deny.

“You put a snake in our bed to prove this snake superiority crap?!” she asked with a growl. “Is this your idea of revenge for that accident with Mi-chan?!”

Sasuke scoffed. Accident his ass. She'd thrown down a gauntlet and he only picked it up.

“Sakura, if you can't handle the payback, you shouldn't have started anything with me,” he replied smugly.

A green fire lit in her narrowed eyes. “I didn't start anything, but I will put it to an end!” she declared hotly. “Training ground 45, in an hour. Don't be late.”

His smile showed too much teeth. “I'll be there.”

The showdown between two disciples of the Sannins was spectacular as they pitted their strength, wits and summons against each other, but their fun was cut short when Kakashi dispatched Naruto and his toads to stop things from getting out of the hand. Sasuke and Sakura didn't appreciate their teammate butting into their marital disagreement and the fight ended with a three-way deadlock. Understandably, there was no winner in this outcome.

In the end, Sasuke and Sakura agreed to a new rule: the summons were no longer allowed in the house.

But the dispute of the Slug and the Snake still wasn't settled.

Some changes occurred in the time after their battle—the little hawks hatched, Sakura's stomach got bigger and rounder...

Then she went out shopping for baby things. Later Sasuke found the blue slug-themed blanket and a slug onesie complete with antennae on its little hood in the baby's room.

Next day, Sakura saw a smiling snake plushie in the crib.

The battle raged on.

A few years later, little Sarada was playing with her toys on the carpet. Apart from the snake plushie, she had a slug toy that doubled as a pillow, a green frog from Naruto, a cat, a dog, a duck, and a dino. The girl was doing play fights between the animals.

Both of her parents were sitting on the couch. Sakura was watching TV and Sasuke was reading a newspaper, but their attention became riveted on their daughter when Sarada took the slug in her hand. Then the girl paused as she considered which other toy would be the slug's opponent. Both parents waited with a bated breath.

She picked the snake.

Sakura and Sasuke's gazes met. This was it.

Their daughter would decide on the winner.

Sarada acted out a long, arduous battle with many fake deaths, hissing noises and devastating attacks, but there was no apparent victor. Suddenly, the little girl put down the toys.

“Mama, can I have a cookie?” She turned to her mother, surprising her with the question.

“Of course, sweetie... but why didn't you finish the fight?” Sakura couldn't help but ask.

“Oh, Slug-chan and Snake-kun got tired, so they went to sleep.”

As cute as her explanation was, it didn't answer her parents' burning question.

“Sarada, tell Papa who won,” Sasuke said.

The girl shrugged. “They're both so strong that they can't beat each other.”

“So it's a draw?” Sakura asked and Sarada nodded.

“But if they trained up, who will win next time?” Sasuke inquired.

The girl picked up the toys again and pushed their heads together. Then she looked at her parents seriously. “They won't fight because they love each other. Kiss, kiss!” She mashed the toys' heads against each other.

Sakura and Sasuke exchanged amused glances.

“Can I have my cookie now?” Sarada reminded them impatiently and Sakura got up to get it for her.

“She's right, you know,” Sakura told her husband later as she sank into the couch next to him, pressing herself into his side. He wrapped an arm around her.

“What about?”

“The Slug and the Snake are in love,” she said with an impish grin.

He smiled back.

Sakura pecked his cheek. “But the Slug is still stronger,” she whispered.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Show me and then I'll believe it.”

“Alright. Bedroom, tonight?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

When Sarada was twelve, she obtained her own summoning contract, which wasn't a snake or a slug. But that is a story for another time.

#ssm17 #ssm17d15 #sasusaku #sasusaku fanfiction #my fanfiction

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ophidae-a · 4 years ago

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｡ Wanted to ask, Orochimaru does things differently than most people and his version of helping someone is just as different as well. He's far from the cold power hungry villain that most people see. His kind of help isn't as morally good but it still gets the job done and done with good intentions.

Example, with Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan. He didn't mean to offer to kill them for the lulz, its because perhaps the trio had seen too many unfortunate cases of what happens to orphans in war. Especially when the next time, they meet another shinobi, said shinobi tried to kidnap them if it weren't for Nagato's power and Jiraiya watching over them. I think even if Nagato couldn't do anything, Jiraiya would definitely use his powers to find them.

Aside from that, while one sees him giving cursemarks as a way of him having certain control over the person. There are cases where the cursemarks are used for good and perhaps even saved some people from imbalanced chakra levels or health reasons. Like that smoke clan with their unfortunate jutsu.

Though of course he did actually do other cruel experiments which I'm not excusing, but I'm just pointing out that going to him for help is like the many fairy tales where the witch or ancient spirit helps the victim or hero but not the help that solves everything nor is considered good. ━━ @thatsneakymedic .

Not only does he do things differently, but Orochimaru's whole way of thinking is different from people, and this is something I can relate to a little bit ━━━━━ my mother tells me stories of my childhood in which she'd teach me things like "oh don't do that, that's bad" or "you have to be nice, because you're a good girl" and she tells me that I would always ask why. Why? Why is it bad? Why do I have to be nice? And while I am not sure if questioning that is right or common, I do know that parents shaping their children's views of what is right and wrong, good and bad is common, if not, an innate responsibility of being a parent ━━━━━━━━━ and that is where Orochimaru differs from regular people, at least in my portrayal.

Even canon Orochimaru might have had something different in his upbringing ; as for my portrayal of him, Orochimaru lost his parents at three in a very traumatic situation ━━━━━━━━ and immediately after that, he was forced to leave the only home he knew and carry himself to safety ; as a deeply traumatized three year old, Orochimaru couldn't really rely on anything or anyone, and as the months passed by the snakes came to aid and there is where things change. Animals have no concept of good or bad, and the snakes that basically raised him for a whole year instilled that mentality on him ━━━━━━━━ the concept of good and evil was created by human society, in the animal kingdom you have predator and prey, but those roles aren't a one-way street either.

And that is how Orochimaru learns that very basic concept for the first time ; because of his deeply onset trauma, he never unlearns that ━━━━━━━━━ being thrown into an orphanage and them sent to live on his own at the age of 5 also didn't help to instill another view on him. Orochimaru never really had time to process his trauma ; he didn't have time, resources nor the guidance to do so properly ━━━━━━ the only sort of mentorship or caretaker he ever had after his parents were killed, were the snakes that would naturally flock to him ; he was essentially raised by snakes through his whole early childhood, that is his most formative years were spend learning not the way of human society, but what the snakes would teach him. That was why he was such a strange child, he was barely raised by humans.

This gap between Orochimaru and the normal society only started to close slightly when he was put on Team Hiruzen. But by then he was 6 and things couldn't really change much ; he grows up and becomes the adult everyone knows. Talking about Orochimaru in his adulthood, I honestly think the words good & evil have to be scrapped from the vernacular all together ━━━━━━━━ he's been to so many wars, he's seen so many things, so many sides of different stories that his mind doesn't know what to make of those two words. And when he is faced with someone asking him for help, Orochimaru doesn't even consider those words, because they don't apply to him and how he lives ━━━━━━ he can be merciful, he can be vindictive, he can be treacherous, he can be gentle but none of those adjectives have anything to do with good or evil, at least not exclusively.

When he met the Ame orphans, Orochimaru was thinking not only with his "shinobi brain" but also with his most primitive self ━━━━━━ he offered to kill them, because cubs don't last very long in the wild without a mother. He was being merciful, offering to kill them quickly and painlessly ; but to someone not raised like him, that was cruel and inhumane ━━━━ evil. His experiments with the cursemark, while mostly done selfishly for his own benefit, were able to help a few people ( as you mentioned that clan ), and to others it was offered as sort of help ━━━━━━ to those who came to him seeking power, well that is what it does essentially, I suppose here we can mention that the surviving rate was not very big in the beginning, but as he continued his experiments it became very close to 100%.

Exactly, that is a point I have been wanting to raise for a while ━━━━━━━━━ on most cases, people went to him, he didn't go out of his way to find anyone, to kidnap anyone. People actively sought him out for his assistance and for what he could possibly provide him with. The only person that he canonically sought out was Sasuke, and even if he gave Sasuke the mark without his consent, Orochimaru did not take Sasuke with him without consent. He gave Sasuke the choice to stay in Konoha, or to go with The Sound Four ━━━━━━━━ Sasuke made the final and most important choice. Aside from that, he met people on occasion, spoke to them and most people wanted to go with him.

He is always honest with whomever approaches him ( the only person he lied to was Anko ), he makes sure to tell them that he'll help them but they have to be useful to him too ━━━━━━ it is always a quid pro quo with him, like the symbiosis that happen with many creatures in nature, Orochimaru thinks like that too. All in all, he is not good nor evil, he simply is. I often like to compare him to the natural disasters that happen on Earth ━━━━━━ they are called disasters because they have an effect on human life, but they aren't good nor evil, the simply exist and happen. You wouldn't call the Earth evil for experiencing an earthquake, or a landslide ━━━━━━━━ because those aren't concepts you apply to nature. In that way, they shouldn't be applied to Orochimaru, who lives his life with the teachings bestowed upon him by snakes.

That does not mean that we, as people who are able of discerning right from wrong, good from evil and who were raised with these societal concepts should excuse what he did. We should not ━━━━━━ and most people don't. Orochimaru is the genies of old, he is the faery of fairy tales, you have to be careful what you say or ask of him, because he will either take it very literally and do anything in his power to get that for you, or he will twist your words to his own benefit. People don't say fairies are good or bad, because they are not people like us, and that is how I think people should approach Orochimaru.

#｡ THE PATH TO ETERNITY'S PAVED BY DEATH ━━ headcanon .#｡ MY HEART COULD BE THIS COLD ━━ replied .#｡ SEE YOUR LEGACY IMMORTALIZED ━━ save .#thatsneakymedic #｡ YOU ARE A GOD AMONGST MEN ━━ study .#long post /#long post #i rambled a lot but i hope this make sense ?????#but yeah i totally agree with what you said about him #it is also worth mentioning that his bad deeds do not erase his good ones and #vice versa which is something people like to forget

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