#still not sure what to say about hiruzen other than 'he is a victim of the narrative'

[comikadraws]

Thank you for your answer! It was very nice talking with you and I hope to talk to you again sometime! You're right, even if kishomoto fumbled on hia writing out of naivety, there's so much going on here and Konoha is ultimately a dumpster fire of a place, it's just as flawed and horrific as the other villages. I mean, sarutobi didn't even bother helping naruto or Sasuke or even adopting them. They both lived on their own in a small apartment and I'm starting to question how they get their money since they were no more than 12-13.

On another hand, it's so ridiculous that the villagers never apologized to naruto, choji, Lee or everyone else they bullied. They only started kissing naruto' feet when he started fighting for them and became hokage. Like a bunch of strangers have that much resentment on naruto over something he didn't cause.

I always find that Hiruzen is a hard character to talk about due to the disparity between his actions and the way the narrative presents him. He is painted as a kind-hearted, selfless, and honorable leader but ends up being negligent, enabling, and indifferent. He is not a bad person. But also, he is a bad person.

The villagers, to me, are a different story, however. They could be seen as opportunistic, of course, but generally speaking, I just consider them to be irrational - Which is a fairly realistic depiction for a population. They are scared of Naruto and traumatized by the ninetails attack at first but are forced to change their opinion of him once they owe their life to him. The majority of the population probably didn't even actually bully these characters at all. They were just indifferent. And indifference by itself is not a crime or immoral. It is simply just realistic.

I also would've preferred though if the story had actually dealt with those feelings and, again, acknowledged the wrongdoings of the past. But this is one of the lesser evils in this story to me.

Regarding Konoha, I wouldn't necessarily say that it is as bad as the other villages. Not just because Kiri is competing too (lol), but also because the story is very Konoha-centric. This is both good and bad when it comes to judging its politics because

Everything is shown from Konoha's perspective and allows us to feel more sympathy towards the struggles of Konoha citizens (in-group bias)

We spend enough time with Konoha to be actually given a deep-dive into its politics and become critical towards the system (availability bias).

On the surface level, Konoha definitely looks better than Kiri or Suna. The Hokage doesn't try to kill his own 5-year-old child and children are not forced to kill each other to become ninjas. But as soon as we were to actually take a closer look, Konoha might actually look better or worse compared to either.

[theheirofthesharingan]

Came across a rather unhinged take on Itachi and Sasuke the other day and I had to write about this because it's a widely accepted opinion in the Sasuke fandom. Although this post is not targeted towards any individual, but if anyone sees this and wants to take credit and feel offended, you're welcome to do that. This is going to be a long and penal-heavy post (kind of), so brace yourselves. And read it at your own risk. xD

A most common sentiment among Sasuke fans is that if he had the chance, he would rather fight for the clan than protect Itachi, because Sasuke is not "stupid" like Itachi and would never kill his own parents. And if he had the chance to go back, he would kill the "Konoha bootlicker Itachi along with Danzo and Hiruzen" because he's not stupid.

So, you're telling me that Sasuke, upon learning the truth, more powerful, more mature, with more support from his peers would not make the decisions that Itachi at the age of 12 surrounded by shitty people did. Aren't you a little intellectual for having an opinion like this? Because absolutely it was his fault he had terrible parents, his best friend committed suicide right in front of him, and two old geezers took advantage of his naive philosophy, which hardly had any time to mature because he was considered too mature for his age — mature enough to handle things in his parents' absence as seen from Itachi looking after Sasuke the night of the Kyuubi attack.

Wilder is that the people who talk shit about Itachi for killing his clan members cheer and support Sasuke's genocidal goals. Because for sure, that totally didn't mean what happened to Sasuke would definitely happen to other people as well and that too at Sasuke's hands. And once he came to his senses he would have nothing but regrets.

"But he didn't actually do it."

I wonder why...

Oh.

Apparently, Itachi, after dying, magically, manipulated Sasuke into becoming Konoha bootlicker too. :( What the hell, Itachi? How could you do this?

I always find it amusing when these people try to trivialize Itachi and his love for Sasuke along with Sasuke's love for him, because he "was fighting for the justice of his clan, so he would never acknowledge Itachi's sufferings and it's just Itachi fans making the shit up to justify him" and "All that Itachi did was unforgivable so Sasuke is just delusional to see him as a good guy."

Is that it, though? Because, when Sasuke confronts Itachi during their battle, he does question him.

But once he learns Itachi's truth he ends up taking a different path.

He's in Obito's lab. The same lab where he's kept the eyeballs he stole after massacring his clan.

Confronting Team 7, his first thought is still Itachi, then his parents, then his clan. Does he think the massacre was right? Nope. But unlike most of his fans, he's angry at the right people. He understands Itachi was a victim of the same system he is. In fact, only he understands Itachi is also a victim, because the system doesn't consider Itachi any victim, and Itachi himself doesn't view himself as one either.

If he had to sacrifice the whole world for his brother, he would do it in a heartbeat. He was willing to do it, for Itachi and Itachi alone.

When he meets Itachi again during the war, he is hurt and angry, but his concern is still Itachi. They made you suffer. I'm going to destroy them because they made you go through so much pain. He's reminiscing what Obito said about Itachi.

and

When he's speaking to Itachi, he again says he's going to destroy the village for causing him so much pain.

He thinks his brother is perfect.

He's stabbed by Madara. But all he thinks about is not dying because of Itachi. He was close to dying twice in the story, and both the times he had Itachi as the last thought.

He wanted to live because of Itachi. So he could create the world where no other Itachi was ever sacrificed.

At every occasion he's weighing Itachi over anyone and everyone else. That, to be brutally honest, includes his clan and his parents.

He's still (rightfully) angry at the village and sympathizes with his clan. But he understands people like Danzo and Obito were the ones responsible for the pain Itachi and his family went through.

Furthermore.. Sasuke to Itachi haters:

It must be hard being a Sasuke fan who despises Itachi because these folks have to create lies and mythology, ignore the existing canon for their headcanons and fanfictions they create in their heads and blame the author for being a "terrible writer" because, of course, the man who wrote these characters had no idea what he was writing anyway. :)

Sasuke would absolutely sacrifice the whole world for Itachi as would Itachi for him. They loved each other the most and there's no denying that.

[kagami--uchiha]

"He would level the whole village if he had to to ensure his son's safety"

Ok but pls imagine Shisui going to Kagami after Danzo steals his eye, and Kagami immediately goes for the killing because no one is allowed to touch his son

The fight is bloody and difficult and puts the whole village on alert, but Kagami eventually comes out victorious, and when Hiruzen finally arrives he finds a bloody Kagami staring down at Danzo's lifeless body and doesn't know how to react. Because Kagami's not a traitor. But Danzo was their friend. What happened?

(But the real question is, would Hiruzen believe Kagami? Itachi is taking care of the injured and poisoned Shisui, him being the only Uchiha that Kagami trusts right now not to turn against the village upon finding out that a village Elder attacked one of their own while they're right on the brink of a coup. The stolen eye is lost. Danzo, petty and bastard, made sure that Kagami could not retrieve it even in death. Except for Shisui's own testimony as the victim, there is no concrete proof that Danzo had been the one attacking and not an enemy shinobi infiltrated in the village

Kagami hopes Hiruzen will believe him)

Oooh, you want me in angst? We gonna go down that route, hard and relentless.

@uchihashisui-kun

The day that Danzō hat attacked and stolen one of his son's eyes was now exactly two weeks ago. The event had been a secret from the clan, except for Fugaku and Hikaku, who as the clan-head and his advisor needed to be informed and included into this. At least with that hiruzen hoped he could show his good-will and that it would keep them calm to also be asked of opinions.. after all, it was about the murder that one of their kin committed.

The ANBU-Ne had been in constant silence over this whole ordeal, although some had been accused by the covtim as well, to have been part of it. Yet despite being able to at least say that one Aburame was definitely part of it, there weren't more leads to who else was involved. The only story the Ne gave, was that Kagami appeared in front of them, crazed out of his mind to attack their late leader. A blatant lie that everyone involved knew about, but it would ensure that their organisation wouldn't be searched on the Hokage's demand and further dark secrets uprooted.

Homira and Utatane of course ere distraught over the brutality bthsr Kagami used against Danzō, for them it was clear as day that Danzō had no part in this, since he was always so rational and would have never gone for an attack on the clan like that. Kagami took all accusations quietly, not yelling or screaming, not trying to defend himself with a loud voice. The moment Hiruzen arrived at the scene with several shinobi, he knew he was done for and no matter how good friends him and Hiruzen are... It could never compete against the friendship he had with Danzō. It was already painfully obvious how often the Sandaime had turned a blind eye to his friends wrong doings... This would be another time. And though he offered no resistance, he still was pushed to the ground, bound with chakra sealing chains and brought to T&I for immediate interrogation. He hated the way that Inoichi and aibiki looked at him, confused, maybe even disappointed... But also with distance... They had to, it was their job to now forget that he was their comrade... A shinobi of the leaf.

Shisui had barely been allowed to see his father in the cells and he had never seen him so... Broken. It was clear that the village was about to betray him, that the village was about to let him be executed for his attack on the former council member. Under normal circumstances he might have only lost his status as a shinobi, but this was something bigger, a conspiracy unlike any other since even Ibiki told him, that Kagami doesn't need to be afraid, they knew he was telling the truth.

And today, throight the bars, he leaned his forehead against his son's, the soft sobs coming from the younger Uchiha hurt more than he could ever put into words... That's not something Shisui should be going through, but there is no way around it... They both already could feel that the verdict wouldn't be a good one. As the public reading for it was about to start, Itachi gave Shisui the support he needed while he had to watch how two shinobi escorted his father outside to the front of the Hokage villa. The walk there was eerily quiet, the looks of the villagers those of fear and disgust as the leaf-murderer took his steps.

Hiruzen have Kagami an apologizing lookas he was forced to kneel in front of his friend the Sandaime.

"Kagami Uchiha, first and only son born to Kuroha and Mako Uchiha, you have been brought up to this spot to now listen to the verdict I will pass down onto you. It is spoken in the name of the village, whose intent is to be just and fa-"

"THIS IS BULLSHIT AND YOU KNOW IT!" It was Shisui, his emotions bursting out of him like unrestrained water and it even took Itachi and Hikaku together to hold the young Uchiha back from rushing in.

It was clear that Hiruzen was struggling, but he had to continue. "In the name of the people of this village.. you have been found guilty of first degree murder against one of your own and thus, sentenced to death.. Are there any words you want to say before the sentence is going to be carried out?"

And though he was expecting it, he had to swallow heavily, his life already passing by in front of his very eyes... He wanted to fight, to stand up, to scream at Hiruzen... But it was no use so the last thing he said was:

"...Please take care of my son, Hikaku..." And ending it while he turned to look at Shisui, smile on his lips but tears in his eyes , "... I love you.. and I'll always be so proud of you, Shishi."

The verdict was carried out quick and the lifeless form of Kagami Uchiha was respectfully given to the clan, who now, were even angrier under the surface...

Though they weren't alone with it... Now they even had most of the highest ranking shinobi taking the Uchiha's side as well-

Kagami's death wasn't taken lightly by the shinobi of the leaf.

[gravityunforgiven]

Right Where You Left Me (Kakashi x OC)

Pairings: Kakashi x OC, Jiraiya x Tsunade, Dan Kato x Tsunade

Synopsis:

She was the daughter of a Legendary Sannin, He, a son of a disgraced shinobi. Fate brought them together but life tore them apart. Will they be able to take control of their destinies and find their way back to each other?

...Or will they be another victim of the cruel shinobi world they are both a part of?

Chapter Two

In the next few years, Akira proved herself to be a little firecracker. She had captured the hearts of those who surrounded her almost immediately. Tsunade’s days became a little brighter due to the presence of her little one, she became her world. But still, Dan’s death loomed over her like a shadow. She couldn’t stop thinking about how he was supposed to be here, how they should be raising their child together instead of on her own. She could see him in their child every single day especially in her eyes, the eyes that Dan gave her. It was so much like his that she could almost imagine Dan staring right back at her.

And even in her disposition she could see bits of Dan mixed with her own. Akira’s character was what a person could call a perfect combination of her parents. She was normally a calm and laidback personality and even as a child she was selfless and kind to others but she could also be impatient at times and prone to rule-breaking a little more than Tsunade wanted to admit.

Everyday Akira radiated happiness to the people around her. Tsunade had hoped that her daughter would remain a civillian. That she would have a normal life inside the walls of the village, never having to know the cruelness of the shinobi world. She wanted her daughter to be protected more than anything in the world. Even Jiraiya who remained put for the first year of Akira’s life, shared Tsunade’s wishes but their hopes were all too soon shattered.

Even at only a few months old, Akira’s abilities were already starting to show itself. At first, both Tsunade and Jiraiya were in denial. It was unheard to have a child of such age show that much capabilities. They shoved it at the back of their minds for the time being but when Akira’s first birthday neared, refusing the truth was no longer an option. When Tsunade entered Akira’s room full of daisies, the truth dawned on them like a bucket full of ice cold water.

She had inherited her great-grandfather’s kekkei genkai.

The Wood Release.

She was the first since the Shodai Hokage’s time to have this nature transformation and to think that when everyone finally came into terms that this Release was extinct, Akira came along, having acquired it naturally, after it skipped two full generations of her family and more than seventy years since her great-grandfather was born.

This brought fear in Tsunade’s mind. The safety of her daughter could be at risk after this discovery. It was not a secret that the Wood Release was one, if not the most, sought after kekkei genkai in the world. Not just because of its rarity but also the power and versatility it gives its wielder.

And the destruction it may cause once fallen in the wrong hands.

If that wasn’t already bad enough as it is, a shocking discovery from the Third Hokage’s wife became the final nail in the box that sealed Akira’s fate as a protector of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

“ What is that?” Biwako asked looking at Akira’s right feet as Jiraiya lulled her for afternoon nap. The child was just about to turn one and after Tsunade’s distressed conversations with Hiruzen about the safety of her child, the Hokage together with his wife, decided to pay the child a visit.

“ It showed up a few days after she was born.” Tsunade answered. She caught the startled look that passed Biwako’s face from across the chubadai as the older woman looked at her husband.

“What?” Tsunade asked, looking at the two. She knew immediately that something was going on and if it had anything to do with her daughter then needed to know. She had to.

“ Could it be possible?” Biwako’s eyes remained fixated on the Hokage.

“It makes a lot of sense.” Hiruzen recalled how Tsunade came into his office a few months after Akira’s birth. He had never seen him so frantic as she told him ever growing abilities of Akira. She said it was just a couple of flowers in the beginning and how she thought they were just reacting to her chakra but then the incident with the daisies happened and she was so sure that there was something wrong with her. Most children do not show their affiliated chakra natures until well into their childhoods when they’ve mastered their chakra control. He did his best to calm the new mother that day and assured her that it was probably because of Akira’s genetics and heritage but it never truly left his mind. Yes, it was possible that it was because she was the great-grand daughter of the First Hokage and the daughter of the two of the most skilled shinobis that the Leaf Village had come across but he always suspected that there was more behind what was seen. Biwako’s suspicions was entirely plausible given the facts.

“Shut the doors.” He instructed in a manner he was the only one who was allowed to do so.

“Have you ever heard of The Okami?” Biwako asked as soon as the doors were closed shut and they were completely alone.

“The Wolf Spirit? Yeah, from the folktales and myths.” Jiraiya’s voice had a hint of apprehensiveness, he had a feeling that he won’t like what they were about to imply. He looked at the innocent child in his arms. It’s impossible.

“Not exactly.” And so, Biwako told the tale of the Okami to the two Sannin. She told how the wolf, believed to be once a human, protected the people in the shadows. It was known for its benevolence and truthfulness and was well-respected and honored during it’s time. And when it’s time came, the Okami vowed to its descendants that when the humankind is in dire need of protection, it will once again return to the world. Up until now, it is believed that the descendants of the Okami still remains in the heart of the Kiyoiyuki Mountains.

Biwako told them that there only has been two other people recorded in recent history to be believed as the reincarnation of the wolf. The latest was during the beginning of the Warring States Period nearly two centuries ago. They all had the same mark Akira now possessed.

“You’re saying she’s a reincarnation of this wolf-spirit that hasn’t been seen in decades?”

It was the Lord Third who answered the clearly terrified mother. “We can’t be sure for now, Tsuna. We’ll have to wait until she’s older but it would explain why she developed such abilities this early. She isn’t like the other children.”

Tsunade felt like she was going to puke. Not only were her dreams of Akira living as a simple civillian were shattered but her fate to die for the village seemed inevitable.

“So she’s like a jinchūriki?” Jiraiya’s question sounded more like a statement.

“Similar, but no. Jinchūrikis have a spirit of a tailed beast living inside of them, like a seperate being. She doesn’t have that because she the Okami is inside her very core. They are one.” Biwako explained.

In the end, the four of them decided that Akira’s true nature would remain as a secret. There will be no papers linking to her true nature, only that she is a prodigy if her own right which can be easily explained by her origins. This was necessary to ensure that she would remain safe until she was ready to defend herself from those who would want to use her for their own gain.

In the following years, she would be trained rigorously to prepare her for her role as a protector of Konohagakure. A number of both current and non-Jonin-senseis were handpicked by the Hokage together with her mother and godfather were chosen to be her teachers and senseis in the upcoming years.

Tsunade was against the idea at first. She wanted to give her daughter a normal childhood like everyone else but knowing that training her is the only way to protect her, she agreed to the plan with a heavy heart.

It wasn’t easy to raise Akira on her own especially with her still not being able to really move on with Dan’s death knowing that they should be raising Akira together and her depression that was constantly making her day even harder but she did her best, the best she could manage. She thought her medical ninjutsu for the next nine years and just as she expected, she was a natural at it. That made Tsunade smile.

Much to their relief, Akira had a somewhat normal childhood, at least for the first nine years. She trained with her sensei’s on the weekends, attended the academy (sometimes) on weekdays and played with the other kids during the afternoon. Her skills were already advanced for her rank as an academy student when she was five. It was already comparable with a newly promoted chūnin and sometimes she would even spar with kids in the higher ranks.

She wasn’t always compliant though. She would skip sessions with her senseis from time to time and would play with the other kid instead, her taijutsu needed some work and her kenjutsu could still be improved. The adults took that as a good sign. They didn’t want to take her personality away and turn her into some sort of killing machine just because her destiny demanded her to.

It was during her training with Inoichi Yamanaka, a former student of her father, Dan Katō, when her nature as the reincarnation of The Okami was once and for all, confirmed. Her eyes had turned a into a bright shade of yellow, her pupils constricted to a tiny speck in the sea of yellow and her chakra that was usually associated with the color blue, became white as a snow. It was neutral. And deadly. Akira fainted after the incident and Inoichi decided to volunteer as her future master.

She was nine when her mother left. Tsunade had taught her everything she could in terms of medical ninjutsu. The top medical-nins will supervise Akira’s training from then on.

It was just supposed to be a few months of sabbatical. She just wanted some time alone to deal with her grief and depression. She wanted to be better mother for her daughter. Tsunade even asked Akira if she wanted to come travel with her and she actually hope that she would agree. She hoped that she could just whisk Akira away from her responsibilities from this damned shinobi world, she would have done so of she said yes. But like any other nine year old kid, she didn’t want to leave the place she had called home or fall behind her friends. Akira refused and instead asked her mother to bring her a gift from every town she would come and visit until her return.

And Akira didn’t realize her childhood would soon come to an end soon after her mother crossed the front gates of Konohagakure and onto the world outside.

Next up: Lots of Kakashi and Akira history.

Ask or Reblog for a tag!

[phoenixyfriend]

I am seized by a fatal need for courtroom ninja drama fic

But not serious courtroom drama. I'm talking Phoenix Wright style Nonsense.

(Some of this was provided by the folks over in @sloaners​‘ server, but the bulk of it was me spitballing nonsense at people who actually know the games, which I do not. I do paraphrase a few times to make it more feasible as a tumblr post/fic concept, rather than a rapidfire text conversation.)

Or one of those like. Reality TV paternity test things? But specifically in my mind the people involved in the actual paternity are a married couple and someone that joined them to be their third, and Clan Elders are throwing a fit about how the baby might not be the heir by blood! while the actual parents are like "I could not care less, this is our child, all three of us, please stop getting involved."

HashiMitoMada would be a VERY good option for the paternity nonsense, mostly because I can see Madara screeching at his own elders about how he already said Izuna would be his heir and he's not changing his mind!

Tobirama is just begging the paternity test to work faster off-screen because he's the only person with the machines to make it happen.

(Hashirama is just. Moping in a corner.)

"I just had to INVENT a paternity test that works before the birth! I had to figure out how to test amniotic fluid! If you assholes make me do something this stupid on such short notice again, I will be digging some shallow graves!" "...for who?" "I haven't decided yet."

Anyway, jumping back to like a Phoenix Wright-style murder investigation.

The victim was Danzo. Even the prosecution isn't actually that interested in making sure someone gets arrested, but they're legally obligated to do at least try. A bunch of people all acting really suspicious about who killed him. There is at least one shitty fake mustache-on-glasses disguise to provide a paper-thin alibi.

WAIT The other thing this gives us is ninjas in three-piece-suits but half of them wear the suits wrong. I’m talking mismatched buttons. The wrong way of tying their tie. Sewn-on-cufflinks. This is Naruto, for instance.

Tobirama would wear it properly, except he's rushing about in a lab coat, screaming at everyone to get out of his way because he's The Entire Forensics Team.

(This is the part where I have to confess that I have only seen the live-action movie of Phoenix Wright, as I don't game, so I just have the live action and tumblr osmosis.)

At this point, of course, we gotta ask: Who is the most Belligerent Witness And who is the Helpful™️ Witness that's super enthusiastic but entirely useless

I can see, say, Mito being a solid witness that both defense and prosecution are really thankful for.

Modern gen you have like... Sasuke and Neji are both incredibly belligerent witnesses. Neji at least is polite about it but pulls the "only answers with the absolute minimum of information."

Lee and Gai would have the over enthusiasm but forget to say actual vital testimony until pressed, and Naruto would love to help but might not be entirely sure what the case even is.

Shikamaru falls asleep when the lawyers consult their partners. Prosecution A consults Prosecution B for thirty-seven seconds, then turns around and the witness is asleep at the stand.

Tobi (as in Obito with mask) is an incredibly frustrating witness. They have to declare a recess just so all the lawyers can recover their blood pressure. "Can we please get someone up on the stand with this guy as a handler? I'm--I'm going to explode."

Gaara: Helpful. Polite. Answers with detail. Answers the spirit of the question as well as the letter. Includes more detail. That's too much detail. Gaara please stop telling us about the sounds that bones make.

His testimony just drags on forever.

Ninken can and will take the stand! Pakkun even enjoys it! Some ninken require translators.

ABURAME TRANSLATING FOR A RANDOM GIANT CENTIPEDE THAT WITNESSED A MURDER IN THE FOREST OF DEATH

There are arguments about whether or not the testimony can count since nobody else can confirm the translation except Other Aburame so how do they know the Aburame aren't part of the coverup.

"Okay, so this Danzo guy had like fifty shell companies but I think I found the route that leads back to him?" "Nah, that one goes to a guy that died eighty years ago that's still collecting pensions: his family lied and said he was still alive for the money." "Fuck!"

Also I just. I love the idea of Sasuke and Madara being the exact opposite kind of belligerent witness.

Also, Orochimaru answers with pretty much the exact kind of wording as Gaara, but where Gaara is trying to be helpful and provide detail for the sake of the case, and failing to see that it's maybe not necessary, Orochimaru just wants to see people squirm. ...similar thing happens with Sakura and Kabuto. Similar phrasing, very different energy.

I keep picturing all of Team Taka as part of Forensics and Evidence Collecting ajshakshjd

Juugo, holding up a rabbit: I found a witness.

Karin joins forensics and Tobirama nearly weeps from joy until he finds her criminal record "Shit, that was supposed to get thrown out when I turned eighteen."

Tobirama: I asked for an assistant, not a criminal. Karin: I'm on parole. Tobirama: That makes things worse. Karin: I know how to use a [concerningly advanced machine that I, a business major, cannot name]. Tobirama: ...never mind, I'm keeping you.

Karin: I know how to DNA sequence AND use LA-ICP-MS Tobirama: [weeps with joy]

Suigetsu would be great at blood splatter analysis. ...I think I read somewhere that blood spatter analysis is actually over in 'fake science that's pushed by cops and media but actually doesn't work' BUT apparently it’s in the Ace Attorney games so we’re going to ignore reality a bit. We’ve already got dogs and rabbits and centipedes as witnesses, what’s a bit of blood spatter?

He's also probably really good at cause of death stuff? Like looking at corpse and figuring out how long it took the victim to die, which blow did it, whether any damage was inflicted post-mortem, etc.

Sasuke is usually too busy playing Belligerent Witness but sometimes goes to join Taka for... uh... reasons.

Juugo: [takes the stand] Lawyer: Hey, uh, why's that Uchiha guy with him? The witness-- Judge: No, no, we need Uchiha Sasuke on hand when questioning Expert Animal Handler Juugo. Lawyer: ...why? Judge: Property damage.

(Sasuke as a work partner with Juugo, also moonlighting as a witness/suspect in Danzo's murder.)

One time they need Juugo but can't find him even though court is already in session and he said he'd be here, turns out he was lured away by Kakashi's army of dogs. Kakashi didn't notice until he turned to ask Pakkun if he could help find the missing expert.

Juugo is a decent lab assistant, I think?

Anyway.

Tobirama taking on Team Taka as his forensics team while Orochimaru is... hm... traveling the country to promote his new autobiography, which is outselling the newest Icha Icha to Jiraiya's ire.

Sloane suggested “a case where it's all the Sannin as suspects in a murder. They would be THE WORST, say... the murder of Hanzo.”

To which I suggested “The Sannin are all suspects but the people on trial are the Ame trio, maybe?”

Which garnered the response of “It could be a surprise upset IN COURT that the trio should be on trial.”

We love a court upset.

Suigetsu finds out that the cause of death was actually an entirely natural heart attack, but while he was determining this, the rest of the team and the lawyers found like eight conspiracies by Zetsu, three by Danzo, four by Orochimaru, and an entire network of nonsense by Sasori.

INO IS THE PSYCHIC. I know her thing in canon is reading minds but pls. Ino is Maya. The Spirit Medium.

Is the judge: 1. Hiruzen 2. Hashirama 3. Hagoromo 4. Mifune 5. The Daimyou

(Old dude with authority, optionally easily distracted/questionably competent. I'd have gone for impressive facial hair but only Mifune and Hagoromo have more than like... Hiruzen's weird soul patch.)

It's not a soul patch but I don't know what facial hair is called and I can't just call it a goat beard

Response commentary was as follows: The Daimyou would unfortunately be closer to the personality of the ace attorney judge, more blindly agreeing with things that sound good :joy: Hiruzen could be fun if only for the competing facial hair for a beard, yes xD Hagoromo would possibly be most buckwild tho WELCOME TO MOON COURT

I managed to get this far with like... NO idea who the judges were except “IDK maybe Kakashi?” but consider:

...HashiMada rival lawyers

Dropping over to Izuna vs. Touka for when Hashirama and Madara inevitably become suspects of something or other themselves and have to be witnesses.

(Tobirama's too busy running blood tests, Anija, let Touka handle it, she's better at people anyway.)

...Hashirama is like. Marginally more put-together than Madara, right? So that... makes him Edgeworth... somehow... That feels wrong but Madara as Edgeworth feels even more wrong.

Madara is very into screaming OBJECTION

ALSO consider: Friction when a doctor from a nearby hospital gets called in to provide expert testimony on something because Karin is like "no hey I should be the one doing this" and then she sees how cute Sakura is.

But also at some point Kakashi vs. Gai for a nonsense case. Their personalities are both VERY FUN for this sort of thing.

[dokuhebi]

courage is not the absence of fear

send me ‘ courage is not the absence of fear ’ for my muse to stand up to something / someone they’re terrified of to defend yours// @super-kame-loveThe attack was sudden, ROOT operatives flooding every corner of the hideout. Walls fell victim to the pressure of various elements, brute force being the obvious method chosen when Danzo sent fleet after fleet. And to a gods eye, this may mimic the slow collapse of an anthill. The underground burrow caving in as a force intrudes and decimates the intricate labyrinth. Searching for the monarch buried in the deepest corners, in the heart. And the army within can only defend their leader for so very long, as bodies begin to pile up. Had the serpent thought they could win this fight, surely they would have been at the front of their base. Correcting the foolish notion they could be stopped, that their home could be invaded.But Danzo knew them well, as well as Hiruzen, if not better. And word had gotten out about the vipers condition, that they were ill of health, that they were only deteriorating. What better time to strike than when they were at their lowest? When their vessel was failing them. But finding the viper is only some of the battle. Then would come the hard part, catching them, then fighting them. Orochimaru had little intention to stay, when they hear the lead Kunoichi bark orders and guide her team through the various tunnels. It would be clear that the only order within the hideout was to run, when the Sannin themself had taken to a back exit to escape. Kame, along with several other Sound shinobi, had been cornered in one of the still standing rooms, dust choking the air from the collapsed den. The kunoichi seems angry, her hand twisted firmly around the hilt of her sword. Bellowing for the team to keep looking, giving evidence to the fact that the entire compound had been searched… and the infamous serpent was no longer in it.Far too slippery an opponent, even for ROOTS most elite team, even when bed ridden and trapped in a host that was collapsing just like this hideout.

Orochimaru was on the surface, observing all the survivors that were now fleeing with them. Monitoring each familiar face, inspecting what numbers were lost. There are only two faces they are most adamant to see appear however, and only one of them finally emerges. Kabuto has arrived to check the Sannin’s condition. They shouldn’t have been out of bed, let alone preforming high intensity exertion. The Sannin has balanced themself on a tree, coughing violently in to their palm, seeing the speckle of blood left behind on pale skin. It is ignored, much like Kabuto’s distressed command the two get further away.

“Where is she?” they hiss, yellow eyes intolerant, they would not have their time wasted on the mans speech. As a trained medical professional themself, they knew just as much as he did on the subject of their own health. They knew what was wise, they knew what wasn’t. But as much as they were medically trained, they had been trained for war first. That part of them, the vicious and battle ready part, would forever outweigh any other.

The hideout continues to cave inwards, crumbling under the strain of such heated combat. However the last of the Oto survivors were long over the threshold of destruction. If she was alive, she was in there. But so were hundreds of armed and readied ROOT operatives, so were the Shimura’s finest. Women and men the serpent had worked with during their youth, some even worked under. Trained to sacrifice their lives if it meant they would land even one blow on the enemy. The kamikaze approach was certainly a problematic one. And if being outnumbered was not bad enough, they were in no condition to properly defend themself.

And such a pitiful end it would, if they were to die by Danzo’s hand. The very real possibility of death lingers in their mind, forcing them to take a step away from the buildings withering demise. That if they didn’t suffer the paralyzing fate of death in their own home, they would be brought to justice before Danzo himself - the man who had once briefly played such a fatherly role to them was certainly more unnerving than facing his army. They knew what that man was capable of.

The Kunoichi is taking turns around the room where Kame was kept. The group is forced to their knees, while the leader takes her time moving between the silent members. Asking where the serpents next hideout was, applying torture in an attempt to get someone to break loyalty, executing a few to prove she wasn’t afraid to kill every last shinobi downed on the floor. It must feel like hours, of relentless militant interrogation. Until finally, her second in command calls for her. His expression grim, as he signals someones arrival.

The shadows fall over their figure, making them hard to make out, until golden eyes cut through the darkness. The Sannin steps in to the room, earning the eyes of everyone without uttering a word. The Kunoichi steps up from one knee, tossing away the body of the last Oto nin she had executed. She wipes blood from her face, her expression shifting in to something more smug, something that could only be read as ‘I’ve got you’. And perhaps she thinks she does, perhaps she mistakes their approach as submission.

“My orders are to bring you back, dead or alive. I’ll make it the latter, if you get on your knees and surrender,” she says. Her team moves to surround them at her gesture. By all rights, she thinks this victory is hers - whether they fight or not. The fact that the Sannin had tried to run signals they may be thinking the same thing. Golden eyes fall from the Kunoichi to Kame, looking at the woman who’s clothes were blood soaked, who had been shoved to her knees just like the others and was next to be interrogated and killed. Just in time. Yet it didn’t feel like any relief.

Fear would be hard to decipher within their gaze, for they confront their terror more like a wolf might. Cornered, but far more dangerous because of it. They take note of every figure in the room, before their voice, soft and raspy, breaks the unsettling silence, eyes finally shifting away from Kame, “that’s a kind offer dear, I’ll extend the same generosity when I make your death quick.”

The air grows suffocating and heavy, as transparent violet flames burst to life around the viper, chakra volatile and unstable. Winds, most unnatural, swirl around the room and slice in to ROOT operatives like sharpened blades. It is the moment the serpents aura shifts that the enemy team advances. For the first few moments, the Sannin succeeds in dropping bodies one after the other, blood smearing every inch of them and the interior of the den. The room breaks in to chaos then, the kneeling Sound shinobi spotting their opportunity to fight a second time, or to flee.

It is only after a deafening explosion that the Kunoichi backs Orochimaru in to a rather literal corner. When the serpent falters in battle as their lungs give in, and they choke up blood from the internal decline of their health. They had caught their balance on the wall when a detonation erupted, causing smoke to consume both the Kunoichi and Sannin. Members freeze to see the result of the explosive battle, something elongated slinking in the dust like a serpentine shadow. When that smoke clears however, the Kunoichi is standing, while the Sannin’s slender figure is lifeless and impaled to the wall, blood running more prominently from their mouth.

She twists her sword once, before pulling it free, turning to her comrades as she lowers her blade, “clear an exit,” she commands her troop, before looking to her second in command, “we’ll watch the prisoners and the body.”

The second in command nods, sheathing his own blade and stepping around multiple bodies. The room is soon cleared of ROOT operatives, leaving Kame alone with the mess, and only four other Oto nin. The blank expression upon each face is one of disbelief, while the second in command walks over to the Sannin’s corpse to kick mockingly at it. A smile etching on to his lips, “so this is the legendary Sannin huh? Not much of a figh-”

His words are halted, when the Kunoichi drives her blade cleanly through his chest from behind. Blood rolls down his chin, as he tries to call for his shinobi to return. The sword is twisted, an effort to keep him silent, a violently successful one. Once ripped from his chest, the Kunoichi turns around, walking over to Kame with the blood stained weapon. She halts a few paces away, where the ROOT womans blue eyes now shimmer gold, pupils unmistakable. A smile rises to their lips, fangs growing from canines, as a slender hand moves upwards to peel away skin, like it were a mere mask. Sun kissed flesh giving way to porcelain white. A new host - she would make a fine one temporarily.

“Are you hurt?”

[ravenaveira]

People that say Taka was the best team/friends for him is like saying a drug addicts friends who are also drug addicts are whats best for them simply because they went along with and encouraged their habit rather than trying to get them help and off a toxic lifestyle

Just because you have friends that support your bad habits doesnt mean their good friends and whats best for you

Friends who try to get you out of that toxic lifestyle to a better place where your clear-headed and healthy THOSE are real friends who want the best for you

I know this is a weird topic to touch on after the previous episode which I'm not downplaying because I thought it was wholesome, but the fact that people blatantly ignore how toxic and unhealthy Taka was for Sasuke AT THE TIME really just rubs me the wrong way

Do I think his relationship with Team 7 perfect? course not, but you can definitely see the difference between how TRUE friends behave and how enablers behave

Whenever Sasuke talked or thought about Team 7 he viewed them like family and precious bonds he had to cut in order to focus on and pursue revenge

Whenever Sasuke talked or thought about Taka he treated them as strictly subordinates, we never see him bothering to interact with them other than pursuing his goals and once they were no longer needed? he discarded and abandoned them without a second thought, he didnt even know Karin was an Uzumaki or that he even met her in the past which shows how little he cared about any of them on a personal level, the only one I can say Sasuke even remotely cared about to that degree is Jugo

None of them tried to empathize with Sasuke, none of them tried to talk to him about his struggles or problems and let him suffer alone, none of them cared for Sasuke to that point and if they did then they had one hell of a way of showing it

So my point? yes I think Sasuke cared somewhat about Taka in his own way and yes I think Taka cared for Sasuke as well I'm not saying they didnt, I'm just saying they didnt care enough

And it seems crazy to me that the same people who complain about the injustices done to Sasuke and his clan are the same one who support Taka and them supporting Sasuke and his crimes against pretty much everyone

Yes killing Danzo was a good thing but it was still a crime, Sasuke and Taka joined Akatsuki and tried to kidnap the 8 tails which was a crime against the Cloud village, Sasuke attacked the 5 kage summit and every single kage there making him an international criminal regardless if his goal was just Danzo it was still a risk of them getting involved, Sasuke just being a rogue ninja joining another rogue ninja is a crime, Sasuke attempting to kill all the 5 kage after the war would have been a crime

Yes some injustices can be resolved through violence but that is not the one and ONLY solution, Sasuke going rogue unfortunately even from a narrative standpoint yea it needed to happen for him to train with a Sanin etc but the only way to resolve Konoha’s injustice was to go through the right channels and expose to corruption that was in it, once Sasuke left and started committing crimes he lost the moral high ground and anything he said or did would easily be ignored and just thought of as another crazed Uchiha who deserved to die

You can argue yes but then Naruto and Kakashi could have said something once they found out but by that point it was like Temari said, it was FAR too late for Sasuke and even with the truth revealed how does that excuse his actions at the summit? against Bee? joining Akatsuki? killing Itachi and Danzo MIGHT have been able to be excused but the rest? there's no way that was getting overlooked even with the corruption exposed Sasuke was still just as much in the wrong now

I'm a huge Sasuke fan but even I can acknowledge that not every single one of his actions was 100% right and just, his actions towards the people who actually wronged him WERE in the right, but his actions in everything that didnt? yes he was in the wrong no ifs ands or buts about it

So for those who think Taka is so much better for Sasuke because they supported his criminal actions [except Jugo I believe he’d be fine either way] but not Team 7 who wanted Sasuke to stop his criminal actions and return to his senses and be in a healthy condition again, truly make me wonder if they actually care about Sasuke’s well being or just think everyone who isnt a yes man to everything Sasuke did somehow dont care about his feelings or the injustices done to him and just wanna change him

Yeah, change him for the BETTER not worse, if anything Taka tried to do the opposite of that but hey I guess being a bad influence is better than being a good one

And listen we can go back and forth all day about Sasuke's situation after the war because I agree wholeheartedly that thats bullshit, but realistically speaking the fact that some things about the Uchiha massacre are unresolved like those two elders even being allowed to breathe, realistically speaking what CAN you really do? the Uchihas are dead and the main man responsible is dead and Hiruzen who failed to stop it is also dead so what would exposing everything do at that point? everyone directly involved is DEAD so exposing it really is pointless even if only to clear Itachi’s name which I'm gonna say something alot of you wont like

But the Uchiha’s were not all innocent victims, atleast not the ones involved and planning the coup, yes they were treated unfairly but does that mean the best approach to fixing this is to overthrow the government? how does that make you look? your proving their suspicions of you right by attempting to be the threat they all think you are, that is NOT how you get your point across and demand justice for your clan by planning a coup that would result in many lives lost including your own

Does that mean do nothing? course not, but if you want their trust then you have to EARN it and if you want justice and equality then go on strike and refuse to serve them until their willing to talk and compromise, seriously the Uchiha was a HUGE asset to Konoha so them refusing to obey and offer their services definitely would have gotten their attention and force them to listen and find a compromise, if that didnt work they could have tried spreading the word to fellow citizens and gain their support as I'm pretty sure not EVERYONE in Konoha felt the same way towards them and would have joined their cause for equality

But no, they chose the path of violence and it resulted in their entire clan's downfall and they end up with NOTHING but a bad name, so what did they gain? absolutely nothing, so was it worth it? NO

So lets stop acting like Konoha’s the big bad villain that did nothing but wrong and the Uchiha’s were pure innocent souls that did nothing wrong to deserve what happened to them because Ima say it THEY DID and their downfall was entirely their own fault for their approach, was it right? of course not genocides never ok and just as the Uchihas could have found another method Konoha could have as well so they were both in the wrong not just one or the other

Itachi also isnt a saint for the same reason the Uchiha’s and Konoha isnt and thats choosing the wrong approach to resolving the problems, there were many other paths he could have chosen but he chose the worst ones every time so just clearing Itachi’s name because of his good intentions wouldnt be right because his methods were beyond fucked up on so many levels

So my point is Sasuke was a victim of both sides wrongdoings, Taka didnt help with that at all, Team 7 tried to empathize and tried to understand and console him and save him from himself, its just that Sasuke didnt let them and pushed them away and thats of no fault of theirs since they did try but mainly Sasuke and them being mostly in the dark about everything

Yet Taka knowing almost everything didnt even try to reach out to him or help him cope in any way, Karin you’d think would understand and get through to Sasuke the most, cared more about her lust for him and seeing his ‘smile’ than actually empathizing with him and helping him through the turmoil he was in, Suigetsu made it clear he was out for himself from the start and Jugo is just wholeheartedly loyal to Sasuke no matter what

The fact that in the end, Sasuke makes no attempt to visit them until he needs them for something speaks volumes of his attachment to them, I think Taka thinks more of Sasuke than Sasuke does of them

He didnt even say goodbye to them before he left for his redemption journey nor did he bring them along on his years-long mission which again speaks volumes

So all Im saying is, Taka being the best team for Sasuke and his true friends is complete bull because I have yet to see any argument or reasoning for this be anything other than he chose them and that they went along with everything he did without question

If you have a better reason for why you think this then please share with me I welcome it maybe you can change my mind, but as of right now all the arguments I see is bullshit or occasionally shipping based which isnt a legitimate reason btw, so if you can be civil then I'm all ears

Note: I didnt mention the other Kages because it should be obvious their ways were screwed up as well and ruined a lot of lives, however what does Sasuke’s idea of basically ruling as a dictator resolve? how does that fix and reform the system? Sasuke wont live forever so what happens when he dies? he cant be the enemy that unites everyone once he’s dead and gone it’ll return back to how things were and thus mission failed another Uchiha dies for nothing, Sasuke’s approach to the situation was just a temporary solution not a permanent one and one that wouldnt last long anyway so lets not pretend Sasuke had the best solution to the problem when in all honesty both his and Naruto’s solutions were flawed and it makes sense that they’d work together using both methods rather than one and compromise, again we can argue about Sasuke’s situation after the war all day but fact of the matter is just gotta accept this is what it is and move on, at least Sasuke achieved partially what he wanted which was a bright future for the next generation and the villages to be at peace with one another without the need of a common enemy anymore, are things completely resolved? no, but its progress, and 15 years is nowhere near enough time to fix decades worth of damage so its still a work in progress and will be for a long time

[tophthetrickster]

Retrospectives - Rikudo 2021 - Changing Minds (Prologue)

I’d originally planned to have both the prologue and the first chapter (Changing Minds, and Those Left Behind, respectively), but upon further thought decided against it.

There’s enough in the prologue to warrants its own discussion, since it actually unpacks a big part of the series that the story has decided to change: the person of Shimura Danzo.

Around the time I decided to stop reading Naruto (which was shortly after the Pain Arc, and about near the end of the Kage Summit, Danzo was a bit of an interesting character. Someone that was willing to go to self-destructive lengths in order to protect what he valued, Konoha.

Kind of sad, kind of interesting, but not enough for me to really do anything with it.

Over the months and years that followed, I saw him get treated cartoonishly in the fandom (at least the bits of the fandom I touched, which is completely anecdotal), and saw a follow-up that was almost as cartoonish in canon care of my talks with friends that still followed the series.

I figured that maybe I could do something with that.

The settin’s original goal was to create a setting where the Namikaze were more than a one-off dude that managed to become Hokage, die, then have his family name more or less eradicated from continuity. Naruto never canonically takes on his father’s name. I wanted to do something more with that.

How does that fit in with Danzo? Well, Danzo’s problem was an issue with taking things a little too far, I’d say. He sort of had the right idea, of wanting to create a fighting force that could do whatever it took to protect Konoha, but somehow lost track of that as that goal transformed into something else. What that ‘something else’ is could depend on who you ask.

To me? It was warping into wanting to protect the village to wanting to make sure the village is protected his way.

And what kind of life did he live? I find it difficult to believe that the guy only lived a life attached to his work. I can definitely see it turning into that over years and years, but the Danzo I wanted to show wasn’t anywhere near there yet. Besides, how could he come to love the village enough to be willing to demand monumental sacrifice of not only himself, but others, too, without knowing why he’d want to do that.

So I sort of decided to write that in. Shimura Danzo fell in love with the paradise that Konoha not only represented, but also became. But to do that, Danzo would have had to meet people, interact with the villagers. He had to have been a known figure for at least a period of time in order for him to have been able to contest the position of Hokage in the first place, I’d say.

Just that, this time, he has a chance encounter with a character that didn’t exist in canon, the grandfather of one Namikaze Minato. I want to discuss the Namikaze as a clan further, but I’ll leave that for the Chapter 1 retrospective.

Danzo meets Gendo shortly after one of his famous arguments with Hiruzen, before he’d acquired any of the crippling injuries that allowed the former to hide his pilfered Sharingan from the rest of the world.

Gendo points out the risk of going so far as to destroy the very reason why one was fighting in the first place. Something that I felt canon Danzo hadn’t gotten the chance to realize, or perhaps had become the victim of sunk cost fallacy. The idea here was to put Danzo in a situation where he’d have to think about it after he’d spent the last few minutes explaining what it was he was willing to make sacrifices for.

With that said, Gendo leaves to allow Danzo some time to reflect on it. This also sorta shows Gendo as the kind of guy that likes having the final word in a conversation. Considering his position as the richest man in the village, I figured that made sense.

This is then when we introduce Mitsuko Nabiki, who is indirectly introduced as the daughter of the izakaya’s owner.

Honestly, I wanted to introduce a character that could have been Danzo’s romantic interest. Really, the guy’s been portrayed as wanting to control matches of the main cast multiple times in other fanfiction I’ve read, but never got around to repopulating his own dying clan. The irony wasn’t lost on me.

But I also wanted to do more with Nabiki here. To those that may have noticed, and have somehow stumbled upon this entry before reading on to the following chapters, Nabiki is actually Haruno Sakura’s grandmother. Just that in this story, she’s also Danzo’s childhood sweetheart.

My goal in all of this was to create a lifestyle in Konoha that Danzo not only wants to protect, but also to take part in, all the while remembering that little idea of it being possible to take things too far. To him, the individuals of Konoha represent what needs to be preserved, and Nabiki sort of represents those individuals as a whole.

Nabiki is definitely a character I want to make more use of. For all of the currently-completed chapters as of the time of writing this entry, she sort of fades into the background after the first few, though Danzo does as well as attention focuses more on the kids and what they’re up to.

We’ll definitely see more of them again, though, of Danzo and Nabiki both, once the opportunity arises.

[kuriquinn]

Telanadas [15/19]

Cover Page & Disclaimer:

first chapter

Author's Note: Shamelessly changed the trial here, because moving a bunch of people around to find the magic pattern to make the bridge would just be boring. This was more fun for me (and hopefully you!)

When Sasuke returns to himself, he is surprised to find Kakashi standing over him. More astonishing, when the older man offers him his hand, Sasuke accepts it, allowing him to drag him to his feet.

“This is the only aid I can offer now,” Kakashi explains tiredly. “I have hit my limit, it seems.”

Sasuke’s eyes travel across the room, carefully ignoring the familiar corpses on the floor, seeking Sakura. Though he knows the facsimile he killed was not her, he discovers a childish need to make sure she is all right.

She is, albeit in a harried condition. Naruto is bleeding from an arm that has been hacked to pieces by a rogue’s switchblade. She is digging frantically through her healing kit to help him while he tries to hold his wounds closed. The human has had worse injuries, but Sasuke suspects her guilt over killing Naruto’s double has her on edge. She will help him now or die trying.

“I hope there are no more challenges like this,” Kakashi goes on. “Responsibility for the demise of a loved one, even given the pretence of this…it is an experience that should be avoided if possible.”

There is a meaningful undertone there that seems like it’s directed at him. Kakashi may not know the details of Sasuke’s past, but it is clear he has suspicions.

Sasuke doesn’t reply, instead pulling away from the mage and heading for the giant door of the chamber. It should be open now, but it remains stubbornly warded, forbidding blue energy radiating from it.

“I don’t get it,” Naruto wonders through gritted teeth as Sakura stitches the wound on his right arm together. “Why didn’t it open? We defeated…uh…us.”

“Once I finish here, we’ll spread out,” Sakura says, eyes focussed on her work. “There might be something that our…that those clones were guarding, or perhaps dropped.”

“I will start looking,” Kakashi volunteers, clearly intending to spare them the experience of looting the corpses of friends.

Everyone is avoiding each other’s eyes, but still trying to work together. In time, perhaps the skittishness will fade. This experience will seem like a momentary dark spot, something faced and overcome. It might fuel nightmares for a few nights or offer an image that comes back to them in moments of reflection to make them shudder. But all three of them can go on knowing what they did was a matter in which they had no choice. Deeds that were more symbolism than anything else.

But to Sasuke, this trial is a reminder.

Of how easy it was for him to return to that state of mind. Of what he needs to do if he intends to return to his path and find Itachi.

This is what he must become once more.

Sakura’s twin still gazes up at him in sad, silent accusation, and his throat closes again.

It is as if a switch inside of him clicks.

I will find another way, brother, Sasuke decides with a harsh certainty. I will not become this again to carry out what is right. I will find another path, my own way. I will not follow in your footsteps.

There is a loud creaking grind of stone on stone, and the door that barred them from moving forward slides open.

“Huh,” Naruto says, staring at it. “I guess it needed a minute to kick in.”

“Doesn’t surprise me,” Sakura says. “Spells or not, I doubt anyone has ever been far enough in this way. The mechanisms are rusty.”

“It iss as good an explanation as any,” Kakashi says, but he sounds like he doubts it.

Not wanting to give him a chance to analyse the situation further, Sasuke gets up and heads into the next section of the temple. He hears the others scrambling after him, perhaps fearing the door might close again before they can.

This place is larger than the other rooms, if only because of the giant, gaping chasm that makes up the most of it. Twenty yards away, and with no bridge in sight, he can see the next door.

“Maybe it’s an invisible bridge,” Naruto suggests.

“If you want to try that out, be my guest,” Sasuke mumbles.

Naruto begins to reply, but his response gets lost in his throat. When Sasuke turns to find out what has distracted him, he discovers he cannot move.

“I imagine there is a puzzle or test we have to complete to make the bridge appear,” Kakashi muses, striding past him without noticing. “What do you think, Sakura?” The only response he gets is a muffled, strangled squeak. Out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke sees that she, too, has been rendered paralysed. “Sakura?”

The mage turns now and sees the three members of his party immobilised.

“Ah. So, I am the one to be tested this time,” the mage mumbles. “Do your worst, then.”

“Do you really mean that?”

The voice is Naruto’s, but not.

When Sasuke strains to look, he finds the human has turned to face Kakashi now, but his eyes are blank.

“Or do you say it because they expect you to?” he continues. “You have always been so careful of keeping up appearances. It is exhausting. And you so hate effort. You have always been one to evade the hard decisions,” ‘Naruto’ intones drowsily. “Avoiding attention, refusing to get involved. Battling darkspawn was a convenient excuse to escape the Circle and following this motley crew protects you from Templars…you hope.”

Kakashi frowns.

“So, I wonder…why bother with this silly quest? It is so much effort…wasted in the end, really. You fight for a world that does not want you. You would be safer and more content if you let it pass you by.”

“That is debateable.”

“I will offer you an alternative: return the way you came. I will open the doors and you can escape this place. Find somewhere safe and warm. Settle down.”

“And what would happen to my companions?”

“They would stay here. I will offer them peaceful sleep—blissful dreams until their skin and bones fade to dust. A moment in time for them, instead of a long-drawn-out death in search of something which may not exist.”

Kakashi shakes his head. “No. None of them would thank me for doing them that favour. Naruto would sacrifice himself in a heartbeat if it meant one of us carrying the cure to Arl Hiruzen…”

“Would he?” the being inquires and then takes a step toward the chasm.

Sakura makes a panicked noise in her throat, unable to speak, and Kakashi steps forward as well. “Stop! He is not the one you intend to test, I am. I will take his place if a life is what is required. And it would suit you better, would it not? Demons such as yourself prefer mages anyhow.”

Naruto’s chuckle is dry and dozy. “So, you know what I am. Well. Why should I argue when a mage offers himself so willingly?

There is a sound like wind rushing and Naruto’s eyes become less hazy. He remains frozen in place but is now aware enough to watch Kakashi’s eyes go blank as the demon takes possession.

Sasuke mentally curses, damning the mage for putting them all at risk by allowing a demon to enter his body, but then he sees Kakashi’s body tense. He staggers, then takes a laborious step forward, heading for the edge of the chasm.

He is going to throw himself off, Sasuke realises. Sakura and Naruto make noises as if they were screaming if their mouths could unclench.

To their horror, Kakashi takes the last step into the abyss—

Only for his foot to come down on solid stone as a giant column materialises before him. Kakashi’s body relaxes, loose like an unwound puppet, and a voice whispers in the dark.

“In sacrifice, you have defeated Sloth and found Valour. Carry it with you always when cowardice and complacence would reign.”

And then silence permeates the cavern once more.

Kakashi takes a laborious breath and glances back at them where they are frozen.

“Do not worry,” he says. “I understand what this is. I faced something similar in my Harrowing.”

“Yes, but this time it’s not your own life on the line, is it, mage?” Sasuke sneers, momentarily startled that he can speak again.

Except it is not his voice.

It is lower and sharper, filled with a simmering fury that appears to suffuse every part of him. Literally. He is burning hot. He can see the surrounding air vibrating as if he stands within a pyre.

“That’s the way it always is, though,” he continues, or rather, the thing using his mouth does. “Stand in the background, the one that causes the pain and misery and destruction, and then act like a victim when it’s done.”

“Ah, this would be Rage, then?” Kakashi wonders, a vein near his temple twitching.

“You know it well, don’t you?” the raging force within Sasuke says. “It boils inside you whenever anyone like this one opens his mouth. When they speak of the sins of your kind, the truths. Because deep down, you know it's true.”

There is a poisonous certainty in his words that makes Sasuke’s blood boil, each syllable making his heartrate increase. He longs to move so he could grab his bow, wants to lash out.

“I do not, because it is not,” Kakashi says. “And whatever people distrust about mages, I believe they can learn anew.”

“But why would they bother taking such a risk? The moment they’re free, mages’ll make themselves magisters. They face demons and accept their offers, killing children to show off at parties. They should all be made tranquil slaves, sent to towers to be beaten and starved and r—”

“Enough!” Kakashi barks, and though his eyes spark, his tone remains measured. “You believe his anger is something to latch on to? I bid you, direct it at me and see how you fare.”

“Gladly,” the demon snarls, and something punches out of Sasuke, the violent heat vanishing as quickly as it came. He suspects his knees might give out if whatever magical force keeps him standing were not in place.

The demon enters Kakashi, who screams in pain and something else. Veins radiate outward from his eyes, and cracks seem to burst out beneath his skin, as if light were trying to push its way through. His eyes burn a bright, scarlet red.

“I will not…punish others…for their fears,” he grunts. “Otherwise…I become what they think…I am!” He throws himself back, away from his immobilised companions, clutching at his head as he battles the demon there. “And you forget…demon. I am not…in here…with you. You…are in here…with me!”

He falls forward on all fours, red tongues of flame exuding from his body, and then with a final scream, the surrounding air explodes into light. Another section of the path forms before him as he does so.

Once more, the ethereal voice whispers in the dark.

“You have overcome Rage, and in doing so, discovered the path to Justice. Do not lose sight of the enemy or you will become it.”

“Two down,” Kakashi pants, pulling himself to his feet and once more facing his companions. His attention falls on Sakura. “And what is it you would try to offer, demon?”

“Nothing you don’t want more than anything,” Sakura replies, but in a lower, breathier voice than Sasuke has ever heard. It makes his mouth go dry and his palms sweat even though the sheer unnaturalness of it sends a chill up his spine. It eradicates any of the leftover fire within him. “What every mage secretly wants, more than any bit of power.”

“And that is?”

“Not to be alone,” the creature wearing Sakura’s face purrs. “And that is something easily rectified.”

Kakashi seems to recoil. “If that is what you offer, you have gravely misread the situation.”

“Oh, come now, Kakashi-sensei,” ‘Sakura’ hums. “We both know who you see whenever you look at me. I make you remember…make you wish…” She trails off with a coy giggle here. “I can give her to you, you know. Or…I can be her.” She licks her lips. “Let me give you what you seek, Kakashi-sensei. What you long for.”

Sasuke’s eyes fly toward Kakashi, expecting to see his usual impassive expression, or casual denial.

But for a moment, there is a flicker in his eyes. As if he is—briefly—considering the ramifications.

It is gone just as quick, so fast Sasuke is sure he imagined it, and then Kakashi takes a step forward.

“There are others who need what you offer more than I,” Kakashi says stiffly. “The woman you speak of, she held the heart of a man who, without her, would be more lost and dangerous than anything imaginable. More than that, he would be broken. I could not live knowing I had done that to my best friend.” He pauses, eyes flitting to Sasuke as if his next words meant for him, and goes on, “I will not take from others only to benefit myself. And neither would the one you inhabit. She makes a poor host, I think.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” the demon runs her hands down Sakura’s body, and brushing against the curves hidden by armour. “There’s so much yearning stewing here. It would keep me entertained for years.”

“Then just imagine what a longing that can never be requited might offer you,” Kakashi suggests. “It would prove a more enticing challenge, do you not agree?”

“Oh, you’re amusing. I shall enjoy playing with your mind,” the demon murmurs. She gives a low, uncharacteristic giggle, and then Sakura’s entire body jolts, as if she was hit by electricity.

The purple haze surrounding her rushes at Kakashi, who shudders as it enters his body. He remains still for the longest time, head and shoulders thrown back as if he is being hung by his rib cage, and then he crumples to his feet again.

“The thing is…” Kakashi mumbles. “I…made my peace with this…a long time ago…In case I forgot to…mention…”

His body emits yet another burst of light and goes still.

“In the face of Desire and what she might offer, you cling to Compassion. Guard this in times of pain and hardship.”

The third part of the path materialises, and in the same moment, Sasuke senses his invisible bonds sever. He, Naruto and Sakura stagger, suddenly expected to hold up their weight.

“What the hell was that?” Naruto demands, shaking out his arms and legs.

“Demons,” Sasuke growls, his voice raw. “Spirits meant to test the mage.”

“Ugh, I feel so violated. And my throat tastes like I drank a vat of molasses or…animal fat. What about you, Sakura? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” she says—rather abruptly, too, and in a higher voice than normal. “What about Sasuke? I mean, he was on fire.”

“Yeah, but he’s always so angry anyway, it was hard to even tell…”

Sasuke studies her, confused at her behaviour and wondering if the change is a remnant of the demon which had her. But when he catches her eye, she turns pink and looks away.

Embarrassment, he realises, though he does not understand why. They were each of them possessed, and yet they are fine, barring a few lingering side-effects. Sasuke still feels like he has sustained burns inside his skin from the Rage demon. And Sakura, she was possessed by a Desire demon, so it would stand to reason she might feel a little—

The penny drops.

Oh.

“So that’s it?” Naruto is asking, wandering toward the edge of the bridge; the others follow, with Sakura maintaining a conspicuous distance for Sasuke and refusing to look Kakashi in the eye. “What a cheat! Those demons took us over and didn’t even finish the damn bridge when they left!”

“This distance isn’t much,” Sakura observes. “You could cross easily, Kakashi. Or build a bridge of ice.” She peeks at him, looking guilty and apologetic, but he offers a small shake of the head; she had no control over the words spoken by the demon. “Perhaps even conjure a blast of magic to send one of us over?”

Kakashi turns his attention back to the bridge.

“I could,” he muses. Then he blinks, and a slow smile appears on his face, “but I will not.”

“Huh? How come?” Naruto asks.

“Because of the cost if I were to fail and lose one of you.”

“That is an unusual remark for someone usually so confident in their skills,” Sasuke points out.

“Perhaps. But I think it better to retrace our steps and see what we can do together rather than sacrifice what has already been gained on the overestimation of my abilities.”

He has barely finished the sentence when there is a thunderous crack, and the final part of the path locks into place.

“Many a man falls prey to Pride, but only one who knows Wisdom can defeat it.”

“Are you kidding?” Naruto demands. “That was the last test?”

“Mages are notorious for their pride,” Kakashi explains. “Most who succumb to demons and become abominations? It is Pride which fells them. I learned this the hard way when I was young. I pity myself the day I fall for it again.”

He considers them each, and he might be smiling at them beneath his mask. Sasuke shifts, a strange, not-quiet comfortable sensation welling within him; he hesitates to call it relief.

“Come on,” he says out loud instead. “Let us cross the rest of this damn thing before it disappears again.”

“And get ready,” Sakura agrees as they head for the door, “because there’s one test left. And I think we know who it’s for.”

“Aw, damn it…” Naruto complains.

Translation:

Harrowing – Ritual which mages undergo in the Fade to ensure they can control their magic; those who can’t are executed by the Templars

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Next Chapter

[ophidae-a]

｡   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. 

[dokuhebi]

Tobirama / cont.  @kxshikoi​

Most children wouldn’t have listened to half of the words he had said and if they actually had, then they wouldn’t have understood them, wouldn’t let them run through their mind long enough to attempt to, but Orochimaru, the youth before him, was different. It didn’t take a genius to see that. It was written all over their youthful features, their process of thinking, how they took every word in and let them go through a deep network of thoughts and memories. Tobirama felt like he needed to be worried, to some degree, because such silence and thinking process usually meant a lack of childhood, but the alabaster skinned male wasn’t surprised there, not after getting to know where Orochimaru lived. They were an orphan and even though Tobirama wasn’t, he knew how that felt like, what it could do. What loneliness it had to mean, and the feelings that came with it. Hadn’t it been for Izuna, then he might have carried similar feelings, even now due to how different he was from all the other Senju.

Hearing the polite words, Tobirama is once again hit by the strange sort of maturity that rolls off the little one before him as many children that age wouldn’t have been so polite, so sure in their own statements and would have without a doubt, shown a moment of hesitation or childishness in some form or manner. Some would have been worried, but not the Senju, it just made him curious.

A light hint of a smile graced the elder’s fair lips upon hearing the words, happy that the youth followed a set of rules. For someone so young, Tobirama was glad that Orochimaru didn’t wander around after dark, even though the Senju knew that there were eyes all around Konoha. Eyes that would look out and make sure no harm came to the people living within their home. However, not every crime was seen, not every harmful act, even if they tried their best to make Konoha as good and safe as possible.

A soft chuckle leaves Tobirama as he reaches over to gently ruffle the little one’s hair, to cheer Orochimaru up due to feeling their disappoint at the thought of having to leave.

“  I promise, we will see each other again soon, Orochimaru-kun. And before you go, I got something for you.  “ To kick this plan of his into action, Tobirama had to do something that the youth might not appreciate, but it was also why that Orochimaru wouldn’t know a thing.

Pulling out one of his specially made kunai, slender digits handed it over to the youth, with no hesitation, not fearing that any harm would befall the child. After all, it was normal for a youth this age, to have weapons such as this. And the elder trusted Orochimaru to be mature enough to not go swinging it around.

“  For you, as a symbol of my promise.  “

Golden eyes blink closed when his hand is placed to their head, pale fingers contrasting their midnight coloured hair when he ruffles it. They look back in curiosity at the pleasant sounding laughter that falls from his lips, intrigued when he mentions having gotten them something. The fact that they are leaving with a parting gift is certainly succeeding at shedding some of the bitterness. That he has made a promise to see them again, and offered something that was certainly mysterious in its worth. At least, in the eyes of the child it was. For how could a weapon handed down by the Second Hokage not be considered legendary in its own fashion? Small hands are more than happy to take it from the mans possession, pale fingers gliding over the metal before clutching the item close to their chest, and offering the Senju a clearly excitable smile and gaze. They nod at his words, confirming acknowledgement of his promise. And their tone has shifted to something with a slight bounce, with a clear hint of exuberance, “thank you, Tobirama-sama.”                                                   ____________ It will be that night that the child proudly puts their weapon beside their bed. Deciding to keep it close, for having one blade nearby at all times was good practice for a young shinobi. They have no idea that the item gives the sensor insight, that he will be aware of each and every movement they make. If they had known however, they would have merely felt far more protected. The lonely apartment was simply too daunting to be fussy about a breach of trust. Knowing he was somewhat ‘with them’ in the room would bring more comfort than disdain for not being informed. Regardless, it would be three nights to pass where they unknowingly give the Senju a glimpse in to their daily life. Night one is accompanied by a storm, thunder claps together in welcome of the lightning soon to follow. The child, burdened with a young and wild imagination, is unable to quite comprehend that the chaos of flashing lights and loud noises does not equate danger. They have paced in their room a few times, before surrendering to the shield that is their bed. But that however, only lasts the next half an hour, before the rain has managed to upset the apartments wiring. Feeble walls, poorly structured architecture. It does little to combat the elements, allowing for noises to be amplified and water damage to be abundant. Moments after a loud crack is heard, the bedroom light has flickered in anger before dying out entirely.

Snuffed out light is simply more of a warning than the child needs, they have grabbed the precious blade the Hokage gave them from the bedside table, and abandoned the dark room for the living area. Since the light is still working there, they hurriedly switch it to life. Looking around the room as if every shadow may possess someone with ill intent. They will spend the night on the couch, with only the thin sofa drape acting as a blanket in the drafty room. Where, to no ones surprise, they wake up a few degrees colder, a soft sneeze befalling them. Brushing it off, and deciding it was good enough they had survived the night, that a little bit of a chill wasn’t the greatest sacrifice, they prepare for early morning training. Night two would reveal the results of night one. Where the child has come down with a cold. For having dropped their immunity during the storm, and left them wide open to falling victim to any underlying illness they came in to contact with. Feeling too low to care about anything other than sleep, the child has skipped dinner. Which if the man was keeping track, he would notice is a trend. Along with skipping lunch. They would however, on a regrettably empty stomach, help themself to painkiller. Evidently plagued by a headache and fever. It takes them a good few moments to inspect the dose, which they at the very least follow. An early night is in order when their little form is gripped by a rather common cold. But even the simplest of ailments proves a difficult task for a young child to fend off on their own. There is no one around to offer them a second or warmer blanket, to offer them medication, food or water. There is no one to run a cloth over their head, to keep them company when they lie unable to sleep. And while the independent nature of the child reveals they can manage each task on their own with greater difficulty, there is a sense of incompetence that would have any adult holding their breath. The child is still learning - and the council of a guardian would have spared them many harder taught lessons.

Despite their attempt to get to bed early (still safely positioned on the couch given they felt they had no business in the haunted bedroom), they are awoken around midnight. The banging at their door is accompanied by a mans voice, angry, hostile, threatening. It certainly jolts the child awake, and banishes their illness temporarily. They grab their blade, listening to the loud efforts of a man trying to breach their front doors defenses - a wooden frame that they somehow doubt offered much protection. But the sound of banging is soon replaced by laughter, and it doesn’t take the young serpent long to figure out the prank. That the new genin in the building had just figured out a new trick, that the use of henge was swiftly becoming a misuse. One of the boys can be heard mockingly apologizing to the child, though he calls them by the title ‘yuki-onna’, a cruel nickname said in jest. With their unusually pale skin, set in vivid contrast to their jetblack hair and topped off by ‘demonically’ sharpened eyes, it was only natural the other genin make the connection to the yokai. That the little serpents ability to master the art of killing from so young made them that much more foreign and inhuman to peers. It is needless to say they spend the night mostly awake from there. By day three, they have proven to be desensitized to the odd interactions of their rowdy neighbourhood. They have survived their cold, they have survived the water damage and broken light, the drafty living room couch, the skipped meals and the poorly taken medication. They have survived the pranks, the name calling, the loneliness of their apartment. They have proven, that despite how problematic it was to have someone so young alone, they could adapt. That they were desperate to show they could adapt.  It’s the late afternoon when they find their way down pebbled paths and through scattering crowds. The number of people growing smaller and smaller the nearer to the outskirts they get, until finally they have found the cemetery. It is clear the layout of the graveyard is familiar by the ease in which they navigate it. A few handpicked flowers resting neatly in their palm, their prized gifted weapon in their hand as they arrive at their parents graves. For this is where the child often returns to - they have always found themself most comfortable speaking to ghosts. The flowers are placed down, equally divided between their mother and father. They then sit politely on their knees before the tombstones, toying with the blade, careful not to cut themself with it. Hiruzen had told them their parents may come back one day, that the white snake herself had promised it with the symbol of her shed skin. They hold on to that hope, it has them returning to this spot to keep their deceased family in the loop of the living, clinging to the belief that the two would join them there. They tell their parents all about Tobirama, oblivious he would know what it was they said. How excitable they were for their weapon, for their next visit, to have sat across a table from him. How they had see him use his powers effortlessly, seen him navigate the world as if he had been born to be a few tiers above most others. The way he spoke, acted, thought... it had all gained some praise from the child. A hero in their eyes, nothing less. And it is perhaps the story they tell their parents about their meeting with the man that has them wondering when they would see him again. That has them taking a long route home just to curiously indulge themself. To see where it was the man lived so they could see for themself whether the Senju truly were deserving of the ridicule their wealth sometimes earned them. It will be a short visit, before they head home. Before their long way back has them passing through markets they don’t usually have any business being near. Orphans were not always appreciated near the small businesses. The little one would prove why. For despite their claims that they didn’t mind others had more than them, they hadn’t made any claims to not want those things to. To not be willing to play a bit dirtier for them. It will be on their way back home that they shoplift a trinket they find desirable. For someone like them could never afford it, and it was effortless with their talents to apprehend the item. A petty crime, a small hairpin that would cost the business woman some of her profit. But it is perhaps the start of what problems lay to wait. That while the child had adapted, survived and learnt... they had also become less sympathetic of others. That they started to piece the world together the same way a fox might when stumbling across a farmers land and scenting livestock - the lonely and brutal wild was so cruel, how could it resist the taste of easy prey? Stealing... it just seemed a reasonable price to pay when greeted by the howl of hunger.