Hey guys! This is one of the very few serious fanfics I have written, so I'm sorry if you don't think it's 'top quality'. Also, this story is set right before the Mission of the Waves, just to let you know. And please don't ask if there are gonna be any pairings in this fic. I'm not sure if there will be any. And if you read this, please kindly leave a review telling me what you think. The first chapter may be boring, I agree, but I wrote it so you could understand what's going on. I promise that the next chapter will be a lot better.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto but I do own Kinieto Zeni, and her mom.
Chapter 1: Bad News and an Unwanted Past
"Kinieto Zeni?"
I looked up into the eyes of my instructor, Iruka-sensei. "Yes, sir?" I yawned. It was five o' clock in the morning when Iruka-sensei called me out to the Ninja Academy. I had no idea why he would call me to the Academy. I had graduated from this school a few days ago.
"Zeni," he repeated as he looked down at a sheet of paper on his desk. "I am sorry to announce the death of your team."
A lump formed in my throat. "Death...of my team?" I said unsurely. How could this be possible? I began to grow nauseas.
Iruka-sensei nodded slowly. "Yes, I am sorry."
I leaned forward in my seat, beside his desk. "How-how is this possible? Aren't we only allowed to do Level D missions until we gain enough experience? Do the Level D missions take risk of our lives?" I asked swiftly.
Iruka-sensei got up from his chair and began to pace. "No, Level D missions consist of only doing chores for the people in the village. There is no chance of death you would be faced with."
"Then how?
Iruka-sensei sighed. "While you were sick, your team decided to start training without you. They went to the training grounds near the Konoha border and began to train there. What happened after that, we don't know. A few ANBU were going on a mission and came upon the bodies. They contacted me as soon as they found out. Then, I called you over here."
"What about my sensei? Wasn't he training and watching over them?"
"Yes."
"Is he..."
Iruka-sensei nodded. "He is also dead. The ANBU have been trying to find the persons who have killed them. There are no leads so far. Only the bodies."
A shiver ran down my spine. Who could've done it?
Iruka-sensei placed a hand on my shoulder. "I am sorry, Zeni. I imagine you are very overcome with grief. Please, go home and rest."
I stood up and stared at him with wide eyes. How could he just expect me to go to my house and rest when he had just told me that my team members and our instructor had died? I was about to say something about this, but he had a firm grip on my shoulder and led me out the door.
I stepped inside my apartment complex. I lived here along with my mom. It wasn't the most extravagant apartment, but it fit our needs.
I walked into the kitchen and found my mom trying to cook eggs. She looked up from her cooking and smiled. "Zeni! Were you assigned to a mission? Tell me all about it!" she said excitedly. She left her eggs and sat down at the table.
I took a chair from the table and sat down. "My teammates..." I started off shakily. "They're dead. Even sensei."
"Dead?" my mom's voice sounded hollow. She looked at me. "What did you do?!"
I gulped. "N-nothing! I swear!"
She got out of her seat and took me by my shoulders and shook me. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ANGER THEM?!" she yelled in my face.
"I didn't do anything!" my voice began to shrink.
She began to shake me harder. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ANGER THEM?!"
"Mom! Stop!"
She let go of me and slumped to the floor. "I'm sorry, Zeni. I don't know what got into me. I'm sorry." She began to sob quietly. "I'm afraid they'll come and take you away from me too."
I stood up and walked past her. I walked up the stairs and into my room. The first thing that I saw when I turned into my bedroom was my mirror. It was long in length, which meant I could see my whole body to model clothes. I stared into it and looked at the person staring back at me.
The person inside the mirror was a twelve year old girl with honey blonde hair, draped around her shoulders. Her hitai-ate was tied loosely around her neck. She wore a white shirt with Konoha's symbol on the back under her khaki coat. Her pants were khaki and loose, while her sandals were black.
I stared deeper into my twin's eyes. Once ago my eyes were green and cheerful. Now they were dull and seemed to have no life in them.
I turned away from the mirror and lay on my bed. What was going on? Did I really do something to anger them like Mom had said? Or was it pure coincidence?
I turned on my side. You see, my dad saw something he shouldn't have. He got caught and was killed for it by this secret organization. I was eleven then, not even a year ago.
I snuggled deeper into my covers. My dad had worked for this organization for awhile. He was respected there. I do not see why he killed him.
Yes, he. He killed my father. I have only met him once and I don't ever want to meet him again. I do not know his name. But he sends chills up my spine whenever I think of him.
My mom and I thought they had forgotten about us and we fled to another part of town. We thought that we'd be killed if they found out that we were my dad's wife and daughter. At first, it all went well. Mom finally learned how to cook and I began to study Konoha and the shinobi lifestyle.
After a month, they came to our door. Mom was terrified. She thought we were both going to be killed on the spot. Instead, they ordered me to become a shinobi and go to the Ninja Academy. Then, once they had confirmed that, they left without a trace.
I never wanted to become a shinobi. My plans was just to be home taught by Mom and teach a history class down at the Ninja Academy. But, those dreams will never come true. I am to become a full fledged shinobi. Their shinobi.
In the Ninja Academy I did very well. Since I had studied a lot of the shinobi life, I got a head start. I wasn't at the top of my class, but I was close. I graduated to a Gennin only a few days ago.
My mom tried to act happy and cheerful about it, but I knew that she was afraid on the inside. She was afraid of them and that they wanted to me to become a shinobi. I was too. Especially after what I was told this morning. Was it really that dangerous to become a shinobi? Or, did the secret organization find them?
I cursed myself under my breath. Mom wouldn't let me go out to be with my team for the first time because I was sick with the flu. Was it my fault that they were killed?
Frustrated, I threw off my sheets and headed towards the door to my apartment. I could not sleep with thoughts crowding my mind. Saying a quick good-bye to my mom, I left to the ramen bar.
A shinobi. Was it safe to become a shinobi? Iruka-sensei understood my fears as he led me out the door. He asked me if I still wanted to become one. I answered him with a quick yes and left. I did not want the secret organization on me, nor did I want to waste almost a year of my life training and not going through with it.
I sighed. There I went again, thinking. I stared down at my ramen-which wasn't there. I scowled. I had paid for it with my allowance. I heard slurping next to me. I glanced over and saw a blonde-haired boy, with fox whiskers on his face as birthmarks, shoving ramen down his trap. I glared at him. "Hey! That's mine!" I yelled.
The boy set the ramen down and looked up at me. "Sorry. I didn't think you'd notice," he said as he smiled.
I got up and stomped out of the ramen bar feeling very irritated.
I hope you guys liked it! As I promised before, the next chapter is a whole lot better! Stay tuned!