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ـمــتـ 。Πاɲزα Crع.غd 。ـمــتـ

ـم 01 ـم

The Zero-Tails Jinchuuriki!

I will make the darkness inside you grow stronger… I will expand the negative influences of your soul… I will feed off the evil of those around you… I will…

Tojike opened his eyes, lurching up out of bed and hunching forward. He panted while clenching the end of his blankets. In his mind's eye he could still see it: that coiling eel body, the elongated leach with the masked face. Calming himself down he narrowed yellow eyes at the wall before reaching up to rest his face in his palm. The Reibi is getting more eager… Tojike turned to the morning sunlight that was pouring white through his window. He remembered what the Hokage had said to him and tried to soothe his worrying. This was the reason Hiruzen Sarutobi had delayed the ninja teams from being formed until the Genin were older. Many children had died in the Third Shinobi World War, and the village was damaged further after the attack of the Nine-Tails a few years ago. With the Lord Third regaining his seat of power steps had to be taken to reconsolidate the Leaf.

With a groan Tojike swung his feet out of bed. He could hear his parents preparing breakfast downstairs. Today was an important day, so no wonder the Reibi would be acting up. Tojike knew about the monster that'd been put inside him when he was eight. He knew that worrying never helped. Negative emotions only made it stronger. For that reason he banished his thoughts, but couldn't help wondering who he'd be partnered with in his four-man squad today. Would they get along? What jutsu would they use? What would their sensei be like?

Their home was in the middle of the Hidden Leaf's busiest district. A poor structure wedged between shops, made of wood, plaster and bamboo-paper. Tojike's parents adopted him when he was brought to the village, at only eight-years-old. So they looked nothing alike. They weren't shinobi and made their living in the markets, selling fruit and vegetables. Tojike had a steamy shower before heading quickly down the creaky wooden steps in his maroon shirt and black pants. His right sleeve and back displayed the symbol of two encircling commas. He was tying up his shinobi headband, equipped with his weapons pouch – all he needed were his sandals and he'd be ready to go.

"G'morning Tojike!" His father was just setting out their steaming bowls.

"It's a big day for you today." His mother knelt at their table, picking up her chopsticks.

"Yeah…" Tojike went to kneel at the table and his food was set in front of him. "Thanks."

They were eating watery noodles with a few bobbing dim sums. The three sat together while Tojike only pushed his slimy food around. Until he realised he'd need the energy for today and started eating quickly. Both of his parents had round faces and lighter hair. Tojike had always been slim and pale, with outgrown, straight black hair. He was mostly colourless aside from his bright amber eyes. Tojike ate quickly while his parents spoke, shovelling down his sustenance.

"I heard that back in the day shinobi were assigned into teams straight after leaving the academy."

"That was about four years ago for our Tojike. At sixteen he's practically a man now."

"He'll be getting a lot more money from missions. With a Jonin it won't just be D-rank and C-rank missions."

"Well we could certainly use some extra money to fix up the place around here…"

Tojike finished his meal and got up. He needed to head down to the classrooms to find out who'd be in his team. After farewelling his family he leant against the doorway to pull on his footwear and then headed out. Jogging down the dirt street past villagers going about their daily business. Inside him the Zero-Tails writhed with enthusiasm. It made Tojike daunted.

He slowed down to a walk when he got to the grassy training fields, pacing beside the high chain-link fence. Ahead he could already recognize other classmates he hadn't seen since his academy days. None were friends. Tojike had always been a loner, isolated because of his secret. The other kids had never known he was a Jinchuuriki. The Reibi made it difficult in other ways. Being a creature that fed off darkness, Tojike seemed to have inherited its innate knowledge of the negativity of others. Upon meeting people he could sense their inner fears, pain, sadness and… evil. He could read this from people instantly, and sometimes they'd feel worse just from being around him. Tojike had received rigorous mental training to deal with it.

It was the destructive energy of the Zero-Tails, bringing everything to nothing.

Up ahead the academy came into view, beneath the four stone Hokage faces. Genin were standing in groups outside and talking. Tojike didn't talk to anyone and none of them really noticed him, he slipped between them and walked into the red building. Polished floorboards and papers taped to walls, Tojike felt a small bout of nostalgia. He walked down the corridor, could hear people talking over each other as things were organized. One of the sliding doors to a classroom was open and Tojike peeked in. One of the teachers was going through a list, several new groups were standing around talking. Tojike stepped across the gleaming floor to the bandana-clad Sensei who looked up, expecting his name.

"I'm Tojike Kohaku." He said and watched the man lick his finger before flicking through the papers. The teachers in the academy were only Chunin. Who would be the elite Jonin leading our squad?

"Ah! Here you are. Team Three under Sensei Tamuki Shimura. Meeting in classroom 2B where you'll meet your team-mates Manzu Uzumaki and Kawari Senju."

"Th-thanks." Tojike stepped away, slightly dazed. He turned for the door.

The Senju Clan was one of the strongest clans in the village, right up there with the Uchiha. Both were formidable bloodlines with remarkable skill. Tojike felt intimidated thinking about it. The Uzumaki was a lesser-known clan but Tojike had heard of them because of being a Jinchuuriki. In order to contain the Nine-Tails it was sealed inside members of the Uzumaki clan because of their incredible lifeforce energy. Since the Zero-Tails wasn't technically a tailed beast Tojike had been picked instead of another Uzumaki. As for their Sensei… Tojike didn't know much about the Shimura clan and what powers they possessed.

He stepped down the walkway feeling nervous before finding 2B. There was talking going on behind the partially open door. Tojike reached in and slid it open, walking in to see an empty room with his two team-mates standing inside.

The Uzumaki girl was unmistakable because of her shoulder-length dusty-red hair. She was average in height with slate blue-grey eyes, looking over curiously. Manzu was wearing a sleeveless coat buttoned a few notches at the top, revealing some of the fishnet material at her waist. Her skirt and leggings stopped above her knees. She was dressed in navy-blue. The Senju boy was in pale-green, leaning back against a desk with his hands gripping the edge. His chocolate-brown hair was untidy, his brown eyes inquisitive. Kawari was rather handsome – tanned skin and a more muscular body than Tojike possessed. His clothes were typical martial-arts uniform, and on his sleeve was the Senju symbol like the wave spiral Manzu had and the twin commas of Tojike's garbs. Their Sensei was not yet here.

Before Tojike could even get a word out the Zero-Tails already scanned his new companions. The girl's family had been refugees from the Hidden Eddy Village that was destroyed in the last war. They'd been vagabonds for most of her childhood before settling here in the Leaf. The other boy was pressured to become a strong shinobi, he was hard on himself and deep down there was hidden fear there. Yet neither of them feel particularly dark, Tojike concluded after the scan.

The two stared at him. Could they sense the Zero-Tails presence?

"Ah- hi! Nice to meet you both. My name's Tojike Kohaku." He said quickly stiffening, formal.

"Oh? The Kohaku clan." The boy spoke up with a wide grin. "They're not a clan of this village, right?"

"Not specifically. They lived on the border of the Land of Fire, next to the Land of Rain." Then Tojike hoped they wouldn't notice his use of past-tense.

"I'm Kawari Senju."

"Manzu Uzumaki." The girl said sweetly. "Nice to meet you."

Tojike felt a bout of relief. Neither of them seemed to be harbouring the kind of negativity that would feed the Zero-Tails. He could feel the monster settling deeper inside himself and glanced to the door with a smile.

"I'm really curious to meet our Sensei now. Tamuki Shimura…"

"Should be here soon." Manzu stated.

"Tamuki-Sensei is from the same clan as Danzou, the village elder and leader of the Anbu Black Ops." Kawari commented, thinking deeply.

Tojike turned when he heard the door open wider. The three teenagers stared at their teacher, a woman in a Leaf flak-jacket with chin-length ash-brown hair. She had black smudges around both of her dark eyes. Being a Jonin with much more experience and a complicated past, the Zero-Tails could dissect a much longer list of pain. Something to do with the Third Shinobi World War and a woman villager who'd lived in the Land of Grass.

"Alright… so you guys are Team Three." She surveyed them for a moment, her oddly blackened eyes moving across them in turn. She leaned back. "Come on, let's go."

"Go where… Tamuki-Sensei?"

"Out to the training field." She answered while walking away, slipping her hands into her pockets.

The three looked at each other, then Kawari pushed off the desk and they followed her out. She hadn't introduced herself properly and didn't strike Tojike as friendly. They went down the corridor in silence and left the building, back out in the morning sunlight. Another Jonin wearing an eyepatch, standing with his own students noticed Tamuki and waved. She nodded quickly and looked away. Her shoulders and elbows bent, she seemed to hunch forward as she led them to the training field.

"Sensei…" Manzu spoke up, trying to start conversation. "What's with the black paint around your eyes?"

"Listen up." She turned over her shoulder to stare at them. "I'm the Jonin, so I ask the questions here. Got it?"

"Ah… yes ma'am."

"Good."

The three Genin looked at each other awkwardly. They didn't say another word as they were led along the chain-link fence and over to the entrance. They walked across the grassy expanse until the academy was behind them, a good distance away. There were wildflowers of yellow, white and purple scattered throughout the area, swaying in the breeze. A copse of trees far-off by a running stream. Tamuki cleared her throat and turned around, studied her new students with her hands on her hips.

"I've studied your ninja profiles, but I'm not satisfied with that. I want to see your skills for myself. So we're going to fight here and the three of you are going to give me everything you've got. I'm a Jonin, so I doubt you'll be able to do me any damage. Do you understand?"

Tojike felt rooted to the spot. They were supposed to fight her all out? He felt terrified, the Zero-Tails squirmed in pleasure. When the three were too shocked to reply Tamuki narrowed her eyes.

"But first…" She crossed her arms over the flak-jacket. "Before we fight I want to know more about each of you. If we're going to be in a three-man squad and do missions, we'll definitely be spending a lot of time together. Outside of the village especially. So let's start with… you." Her eyes fixed on Tojike and he winced.

"…what do you want to know?"

"Your name. Your reason for becoming a shinobi." She closed her eyes and sighed as she thought. "Your ambitions. Your likes, dislikes. Your fears. Your interests… for a start. Just tell me about you."

"Okay. Ah…" She doesn't even remember our names but she read our files? "My name is Tojike Kohaku. The reason I'm becoming a Shinobi is to serve the village…" Looking into that cold stare Tojike knew that his sensei knew he had a powerful monster sealed within him. He remembered talking to the Hokage. Hiruzen had said that merely being a vessel for the Zero-Tails made him a liability, but learning how to control its power someday would make him an asset to the village. The Leaf Village… the place he'd been forcibly taken, not the place of his birth…

Tojike straightened "My ambition is to be a Jonin someday. I like table games, card games, mah-jong. I dislike seafood. I'm afraid of… death, I guess." Tojike shrugged.

"Death befalls shinobi." Tamuki interrupted plainly.

"That's true. I'm interested in history. Shinobi history, and reading old literature."

"I see." Tamuki replied without emotion. Manzu was watching him quietly. Kawari had a big grin that stretched across his face. Their sensei turned to the girl. "You're next."

"I'm Manzu Uzumaki. There's nothing else I want to do apart from being a ninja. I want to train up my Ninjutsu and help my country and fellow man. I like sight-seeing and being out in the world. I want to go on missions to faraway places."

"The ninja world is a dangerous place." Tamuki commented.

"I know… that's one of the reasons I want to become a ninja. So I can go out there and see it. I dislike arrogant ninjas… if I end up in a high position in the Leaf someday I'll be a lot stricter on the Chunin around here. I'd say I'm afraid of failure, not being able to reach my goals. I'm interested in shinobi politics, our government, and our relations with the other countries… So I guess," Manzu turned to look at Tojike. "I'm interested in the history of the Shinobi World Wars as well."

Tojike was fascinated in the times before the village was founded. The Warring States era, the writings and stories and way of life. Not so much in history about modern-day ninjas, but he smiled at Manzu anyway.

"You didn't tell us your ambition in all that." Tamuki stated.

"I want to be someone important in the village. Someone who has a say in how things are done." Manzu answered.

"Good. Well, last is you." Their Sensei turned to Kawari who was still grinning widely.

"My name is Kawari Senju." He stood confident and proud. "I've become a ninja so I can live up to the Senju clan's name! My ultimate goal, one day, would be Hokage!"

"Hokage?" Tamuki quickly interrupted. Kojike and Manzu stared at him in surprise. "In the history of ninja only a few have ever become Hokage. Every single Hokage that has died has done so in the field of battle."

"True. They were the greatest ninjas in the world, and they shaped it into what it is today. That's why I want to be one of them." Kawari was still grinning and he looked determined. He was a very confident guy, at least. Even if Zero-Tails had sensed a fear inside him, he had a lot of belief in himself as well. That was the problem with Tojike's ability. He could only sense the negativity of people, he couldn't see all the other stuff. Everyone has some degree of darkness. Being the host of the Zero-Tails made Kojike see only the bad in everyone, unfortunately.

"Okay." Tamuki didn't seem impressed. "What else?"

"I like rock-climbing and training. I hate being bored, so I keep busy. My biggest fear would be," he got more serious at that part "dishonouring the village, my clan, my comrades." As he continued Tojike could feel that answer wasn't quite the truth. "I'm not very interested in history…" He reached up to touch the back of his head, ran his hand through his untidy hair "But I am interested in training more than anything else. I want to become strong."

"Very well. That's enough." Tamuki turned away from them and stepped away. "I'm starting to understand each of you now…"

Tojike knew that he wasn't like other teens. He'd always been anti-social and spent more time with his parents than most, playing adult games with dice, sometimes gambling his mediocre money from missions with extended relatives, neighbours and friends of his parents. He was polite, well-behaved and got along better with adults than kids his own age. Tojike was an old soul. Looking at his new comrades he could see that Manzu was a practical, hard-working and kinda serious girl, while Kawari was a confident, talented and laid-back kind of guy. As for their Sensei…

Tamuki reached into her weapons pouch and pulled out a kunai. The three teens got into a nervous fighting stance, but not looking at them Tamuki sliced her thumb and weaved seals. She splayed her palm onto the ground and a cloud of smoke burst forth, engulfing her and fading to reveal… a blinking racoon in a blue vest.

"You're the Racoon Princess!" Manzu suddenly realized, pointing. "I've heard of you!"

Tojike blinked and their teacher turned around, still crouching. It explained the weird black smudges around her eyes. They looked too messy to be a clan thing.

"Congrats Tamuki!" The small animal spoke in a voice that reminded Tojike of a squat, weasel-like man. "The youngins of the Leaf know your reputation. So what am I here for? Training?"

"Listen here." Tamuki was glaring at the three of them. "If I agree to become your sensei I promise you that I'll make you into fine ninjas. I will make you into the best shinobi you can be, I'll devote myself fully to your training and help you achieve your dreams. However… first you'll have to convince me that you're worthy. You have one hour to land a successful attack on me. Afterwards I'll decide whether I want you or not."

Tojike narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists. Let's start then…

AN: Here begins yet another FanFic! I've been exploding with ideas lately. I've been thinking about writing stories for Xiaolin Showdown, Star Wars, Terminator and the list goes on! In any case this is not my first OC Naruto FanFic. I know how to prioritize though... the stories that get the most reviews get updated! So leave feedback if you want me to continue. Arigatou ~

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