Disclaimer- Nothing Naruto is so far in this story, but because it exists in the plane, Naruto is (c) Masashi Kishimoto, as are his characters, and the plain and which this story exists.
As of right now, though, all towns, landmarks, and characters are my own. Hehe.
Welcome to my next journey, everybody. As I've said, this is the prequel to "Risen" and I hope that everyone enjoys this story as I try to take us on a Naruto adventure a hundred years into the past.
Comments are ALWAYS appreciated and I'll see you for chapter two! (Preview later in the week)
SILENCED- THE TRAGEDY OF TAREGOSU MAYA
Chapter One
Moonlight Innocence
She picked her head up from the table as her named was shouted from across the way. Resting in the small park in the late afternoon had become routine for her after a long morning of work at the library, but it comforted her to see her best friend managing her way towards her through the crowd. She giggled to herself as the shorter,significantly shorter, blonde haired, blue eyed girl got pushed around in the crowd of the summer day in the park. She approached her tired friend, fixing her short, chin-length hair, removing strands from her face. Her smile was as warm as the day, itself.
"Napping as usual, Maya?" She laughed as her long-timr friend grunted and rested her head in her folded arms once again. "Oh, come on!" She nudged Maya on the shoulder. "You can't tell me you're this tired. You only work six hours in a day, and you're still paid very well, better than I make at my job!"
"Remember, Taguchi," she reminded her friend, half-muffling into her arms. "I've had this job for almost three years, now. It's not my fault you can't keep in one place." Her beautiful green eyes fluttered open once more and focused on the girl hovering over her, a smirk escaping her lips.
"Really now," Taguchi barked back. "Is it really necessary to bring that up? I mean, I know I can't sit still and all, especially at a job, but you don't have to rub it in. I'm perfectly happy going here and there and trying new things." She walked around to the opposite side of the table and sat herself down in the other chair, placing her small handbag on the ground beside her. "Speaking of commitment, Maya," she continued. Maya lifted her head up and moved her wavy, deep blue hair from her eyes. "Has he asked you to marry him yet?"
She shot up, sitting with upright posture for probably the first time in over an hour. "Gracious, no!" She laughed to herself and placed her hand to her cheek. She frequently daydreamed of marriage and the moment her true love would propose to her, but that day still hadn't arrived. "I mean, he's been so busy with duty, lately. It seems as though whenever he gets home, he's back out again the next day."
"That's what you get," Taguchi teased her. "You're a ninja, Maya, you're training under the very best, and you had to go fall in love with some military brat whose belt is on too tight. Come now, Maya, you're seventeen years old. You've been with this boy for nearly three years, it's about time. Really."
"I know," Maya admitted. "My mother's even been telling me I need to keep the family going. Unfortunately, I'm the last hope for the Taregosu clan." She turned to her friend with a chuckle. "It's a drag, really, knowing both your parents were only children and well, here I am with the pressure of a clan on my back."
"No offense, honey, but it isn't really much of a clan." Maya nodded her head, agreeing with your friend.
"I don't take offense, Taguchi. It's not like there's any special ability in my blood. Rather.." She looked up to the sky, bright blue with white clouds scattered about as the sun peered down on her in pieces, through the tree beside the table. "Reputation."
"I know, Maya. I know, I hear the stories of your father all the time. If I don't hear them from the historians, I hear them from you," they laughed. After a moment, Maya caught her breath and continued.
"Sometimes I wonder if I'm doing the right thing. I know, these privledges were important to my father, but times are changing now, Ta-san. I've been entrusted with a lot of responsibility, but sometimes I just wonder if it'll ever come to fruition nowadays."
"Pfft," her friend replied. "And you tell me I'm all over the place? Girl, you're as unsure as the weather!" She reached over the table and placed a hand on Maya's shoulder. "Your father left you with a gift. Ninjutsu is a dying study nowadays, and to be able to know everything you know living with your father's legacy, you could do so much good in the world! Nothing your father did will ever be forgotten, Maya, nothing you ever learn will, either." Maya smiled, blushing behind her hands as she hid her face behind her forearms once again.
"Thanks, Taguchi."
"Hey, you know I'm good for talking up a storm. Anytime."
"Yeah. I think it's about time you shut up, though. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Taguchi stood up, grabbing her bag and resting the strap on her shoulder.
"I'm already there, hon." The two laughed as they made their way from the park to their favorite bakery.
The rickety fence at the entrance of the village was as old as ever. Every piece of it seemed to creak in the slightest of breezes. It was old, run-down, short, and really didn't keep anyone out, but it was a sign of longevity. The little village of Jitoya, a small trade stop along the great Etsuai River, had lasted everything thrown its direction. It had survived droughts and storms, floods and famines, wars and battles. This was the two hundredth years of his precious village..
..And he was excited every time he got to come home again.
He dropped his bag at his side, solid black and filled with all of his equipment. His brown boots were dirtied and worn out from his missions and his training. His black pants were fringed and torn up along the bottom as they fit snug, ending a couple of inches over the boots. He wore a sleeveless forest green shirt, bright in comparison to the rest of him as it stood out surrounded by the black. Even his hair was short, spiked and black, and his brown eyes were really dark enough so that they seemed one in the same.
The sun beat down on him heavily as he tried to wipe his forehead dry, only to manage pushing the sweat around his forehead. His forearm has already been just as sweaty. "So damn hot," he said to himself, trying to fan himself with his right hand. He looked up at the archway of the old fence and a wooden board with "JITOYA" scratched into the frame. He smiled to himself at the simplicity of it all. He had probably seen this sign a hundred times in his life, and as old as it was and as old as it kept getting, it didn't. It never got old; he never grew tired of being back home.
"Home, sweet home." he sighed to himself, eyeing about the village. It was a small community of only a few hundred people. The houses and apartments were towards the front of the village, while the restaurants, municipals and the park were more towards the back. In the center of town, a small fountain with a little cherub spewing water from his lips. God only knew how old that piece was.
He wasn't surprised that there were hardly any townsfolk out in the streets at this time. The heat was too brutal. He had been out traveling in it for hours and all he cared about was getting the hell out of it. He was thirsty, but, more importantly to him, he wastired. He wanted to get home, change out of these wretched clothes, and pass out on his bed. This seemed like it would have proven simple enough considering his house was the small, blue hut in the front of the village; the third on the right. He actually wished he could have ignored the person running towards him yelling his name and just made a dash for the house. He didn't, though. He couldn't.
"Suito!" the little boy exclaimed, running towards him at full speed as if he was the kid's father. This brought a smile to his face as he knelt down, extending his arms for the boy to jump into. The little boy leapt forcefully into his arms and he lifted him high into the air before catching him, spinning around once, and then placing him on the ground gently. The fiery red-head looked up at Suito, his eyes a happy bright-green, his smile big and wide.
"What's going on, buddy?" Suito spoke quietly. His voice was gentle and smooth.
"I missed you!" the little boy kept a tight grip on his leg. "Mommy and Daddy said you went out on a mission."
"I sure did," Suito replied. "Does your mommy and daddy know you're all the way out here, Kiro?"
"No," the boy replied shyly.
"Then maybe," Suito laughed, patting the boy on the head. "You should go back home and not scare them by running off like that." Sun stood up and brushed his pants off. "I'm going home, anyway, Kiro. I'm really, really tired." The boy nodded as Sun picked up his equipment bag and began to basically limp over towards his home, exhausted from the miles upon miles he had trekked this morning.
"Suito-sempei!"
Suito turned around to face the boy one more time. "What is it, Kiro?"
"You're still the bestest, coolest teacher ever!" The boy bowed, smiling and then turned and ran back towards his house, a few down in the opposite direction. Suito watched as Kiro disappeared down the road and he laughed to himself, shaking his head.
"Thanks, kid," Suito looked behind him, up at the rickety old sign once more. "It's been a couple of months," he reminded himself. He tried to think of all the things he needed to catch up on now that he was back, and, still, stronger than ever, his original temptation had the upper-hand on anything else.
"Sleep."
"You're only getting tea??" Taguchi asked as she placed a place with a small piece of cheesecake in front of her. "How could you possibly do that? The desserts here are fantastic!"
Maya chuckled as she took a sip of her tea. "I'm not all really that hungry right now. Rika-sensei offered me some breakfast when I got into work today, so it's kind of holding me over for now."
"Damn girl," Taguchi remarked. "They even feed you, too! You have the life girl. You live in a nice home with your mother, you make a great deal of money and people always take care of you, and you're skilled with ninjutsu, the only remaining to our village!"
"Thanks," Maya paused after her answer, her glass at her lips. Did she really have the life? How could what she had possibly be the life? She couldn't figure that part out.
"Maya? Is everything alright?"
"Oh! Yeah, yeah," she waved shyly to her friend. "I've just been thinking a lot lately, that's all. My mind likes to wander, you know that."
"You sure everything's alright?"
"Yeah, just," she took a moment, swirling her glass slowly, trying to think of the best way to word her explanation. "You say that I have 'the life', but I just don't see it. I mean, yes, I'm well off, and yes I have an ability unique to this village, but I lost my father and brother during the invasion of Kelios in the meantime. Was it nice that the military sent funds and benefits our way, yes, it was quite generous. But it doesn't make up for the fact that they were killed out there, leaving me and my mom to live on our own all of a sudden."
"They were heroes, Maya. They died for what they believed in," her friend tried to support her.
"I know, it's just.." Maya took a deep breath. "Even my talents, the way of the ninja, are diminishing, Taguchi-san. Since the Revolution, General Taotsu's military prowess has slowly taken over our land, and the need for our abilities are steadily declining." She lowered her head, shaking it ever so gently. "The only reason my father went to Kelios was to aide my brother in his first infantry mission." She giggled to herself. "It's funny how, in a family known for their history in ninjutsu, that my father's first-born child would abandon these arts for the military," she looked up to Taguchi. "I guess that just tells you how much times have really changed."
"Yeah," Taguchi responded. "So, then, why did you father even go to help?"
"Taotsu had asked all able-bodied ninja to help trap the enemy and prevent escape as they expanded our rule and the borders of our nation. But after the first wave, a second flank came in from the back and ambushed our front. My father was assassinated in the battle. My brother died trying to save him."
Taguchi lowered her head, trying to think of something to say.
"It's been almost four months since that incident, and still, even today, the Revolution is as strong as ever." She took a moment to sip her drink as she gazed up at the clouds, where she would constantly find herself every time she thought of her lost family.
"Rame was very brave, and I don't think he'd want you to be so sad over what he did. He died for his country, for you, and for your mother and father."
"Thanks," Maya said gratefully.
"I mean, everywhere I go, I hear the names Taregosu Sun and Taregosu Rame. They're heroes to this village and you should be proud!" She banged her fist hard onto the table, rattling her chopsticks and her plate and glass. Maya blushed to herself and smiled.
"I am proud," she quietly answered.
"Good! Now have some of this cheesecake!" They shared a chuckle.
Maya was okay with her brother and father. She was proud of them and loved them so very much, always keeping them in her heart, but the Revolution had taken a third person in her life into the forces..
Andhe was the one she feared to lose..
"Hey, Maya!" Taguchi shouted, holding up her glass. "Come on, girl, it's the end of the week! Let's toast to the weekend!" Maya cracked a smile. "That's my girl. Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Their wine glasses clanked with a subtle 'Ping!' that rang out in the air as it diminished into nothing.
"Another successful takeover."
"Yes, to another!"
Two men sat across from each other at a table while a third dressed in black and white bowed his head and left the room, carrying off the tray on which the two beverages had been placed.
"Thank you again, Dami." The first man said with a wave of his left hand. His servant responded with a simple nod and wave back, not stopping to turn and face him. This first man, heavy-set and balding with patches of red hair around his ears, leaned back in his chair, pondering the events of the week. He tapped his index finger along the side of the wine glass while the rest of his short, stubby fingers gripped it tightly. He wore a couple of rings on his fingers. Many bands were pillaged and stolen, the only gold one rest on his left ring finger; his wedding band. After he took his next sip, he swirled the ice cube in the glass around and opened his deep brown eyes to his partner.
"Come now, Taotsu. No need to be distressed. The Revolution is running perfectly to plan. Take a moment to relax, boy."
"We're not finished yet, Gaeo," the general remarked. "There's still a lot more work yet to do. Our mission is far from complete." He took a sip of his wine and the carefully placed the glass on the table. Taotsu stood up, in his modern-day black suit. It seemed to stretch over his extremely thin figure as, from head to toe, he was lined in black. The only color to him was the white shirt he wore under his unbuttoned jacket, the red badge in the shape of a star on his coat, and his red eyes, clashing against his slick backed, silver hair, tied and hung in a pony-tail. Taotsu was an intimidating figure of about six feet tall, significantly over his chubby counterpart, and his glowing, red eyes were his most distinguishable quality, though, now, they were much more calm and complacent.
"Take a moment to relax, my boy. Our military is second to none and our plans will continue on without fail. I don't think taking a day to relax will do any harm, now relax." Nonetheless, Taotsu paced about the room, occasional looking out the window towards the shore and the ocean, to the north. "We've expanded as far east as we can, right up to the Atrion Mountains. The Kosoki desert is to the west, with other civilizations far west of that, but their democracy is of no worry to us, and sending battalions hundreds of miles across that terrain is suicide. All that's left is South, and then we can go North, and expand our region into the Northern Continent."
"And that is when," Taotsu finished. "We will unite the remaining colonies and nations of the world." He walked back over to the table and reached for his glass. "A Revolution for World Wide Unity. People governed under one force, to live as one unit," Taotsu took a sip of wine, then continued to gaze out the window. "This army.. my Blood Moon army continues to fight for this cause, and then, when our objective is reached, the army will be disbandoned, and the world will have peace, once again, under one rule."
"Our rule," Gaeo toasted again. Taotsu simply nodded. "We're doing a great thing, Taotsu. The Revolution will be a success, and a cause history will speak of for centuries." He pulled out from the pocket of his shirt a cigar and lit it over the candle on the table. "How much further South do we have to go?"
"Along the Etsuai River." Taotsu explained. "The river stretches three hundred miles, starting in the hills of Usemi in the south, flowing through the forests of the south, flowing north past many villages and docks, through our main military city and into the Continental Ocean. So far we've been slowly expanding our way South, uniting towns and villages under our grounds in exchange for trade, resources, and any other needs."
"The basis of our charity being to win over the village and dispel possible rebellions."
"Exactly," Taotsu exclaimed. "Many of these villages are being hit hard because of the heat waves and subsequent droughts in the land. Any help would be appreciated and therefore, any doubts previous followed up would be overlooked during these desperate times." Taotsu chugged the rest of his wine and, slamming the glass down, raised his arms high. "This is the time for the world to come together, united as one faction, under one rule, to strive towards a conformed and single power."
"I can only hope that those to our north see the revolution and our Unity Act as we do." Gaeo added. "They've been known to be stubborn in our trade agreements, and I worry that a resistance act up there might prove to be an obstacle."
"We will rely on our military power," Taotsu replied. "The reason we have the remaining continental ninja act as liason to our mission is to expand military without civilian casualty, and complete the transition to unified military force."
"Unified?" Gaeo sat up in his chair. "You mean you want.."
"Yes," Taotsu scoffed. "Those leading the way in the arts of ninjutsu are a threat to the revolution and a possible source of rebellion within our system. Those skilled in battle will be 'paid,'" he said, using his fingers as quotations, "for their service. Those who happen to die in battle will have their families sponsored and aided throughout our movement and will be taken care of to unsure approval of the nations."
"You're.. you're sending them to their deaths, basically."
"Those that die, yes," the glow in Taotsu's eyes finally revealed itself as the dark general finally spoke his dark purpose. "Those that survive… would, how should we say… Be ambushed."
Gaeo exhaled a puff of smoke from his lips as he listened on to General Taotsu's decree.
"By Revolution's end, the ninja arts of the Southern Regions will be all but extinct. The Blood Moon Army will be the strongest source of power in the world, and no opposing force will ever be able to stop it." A smile crept onto his lips. "Tomorrow at dawn," he shouted out confidently, putting his index finger to a continental map on the wall, drawing it south from the main city along the Etsuai River. "We will have a very important objective on our hands. There is one here in our next destination, a rare find. One skilled at the highest level of ninjutsu, and our objective is to capture them and use their abilities for our purposes."
"And if they object?"
"Simple," Taotsu's red eyes flared as he drew a pocket knife from his pocket, flicked it in the air and, in one swift motion, caught it, opened it, and, one the backhand, swung it into the map, landing on target. Gaeo got up from his seat and peered towards the map, trying to get a closer look. Taotsu merely laughed to himself and Gaeo made out the name of the next target, cut in half on the map.
JIT--/-- OYA
Their lips met numerous times as they spun around in each other's arms. The atmosphere was perfect for the romantic setting; a cool summer evening with a slight breeze tracing the air. The river flowed calmly north as the only lightning was the water's reflection of the moon and the constellations strewn across the sky. This was the only light necessary and Taregosu Maya and Kakamei Suito expressed their love in the beautiful moonlight. They giggled and ran about the riverside, hugging and tackling each other into the grass. It was a true love the fates would be proud of.
Maya got the upper hand on this instance and was able to get her love to the ground, pinning him under herself as she sat up on his stomach.
"That's what you get for not telling me you were coming home today."
"Give it a rest," he smirked. "I needed a nap. Besides, I figured I should take a hot bath before I saw you. You wouldn't want a dirty boy greeting you, would you?"
"Most certainly not!" She giggled and leaned in to kiss him, over and over. She let him sit up as she got up from him and sat by his side, gripping his hand in hers. He smirked, winking at her, then pulled her down to the ground with her. She squealed out in surprise and they now laid on the ground together, on their shoulders, facing each other. They laughed for a while in sheer happiness and, once they had calmed down, she scooted closer to him and put her free arm around him.
She put her hands so gently at his back as she lay comfortably in the grass, her eyes locked on his. At her side, she felt he could do no wrong. He was so amazing, so romantic, so perfect. His deep brown eyes brought shivers to her spine, his brilliant gaze was just exhilarating! She giggled like a child and nuzzled her cheek gently against his chest, listening to his relaxing heartbeat. The cool spring night had surrounded them with the cooing of night doves, the chirping of crickets, and the wafting and soothing flow of the Etsuai, the blue, ever clear road that would lead them back home after this perfect, romantic evening.
"I love you so much," she confessed, taking a deep breath, inhaling his scent. The girl, young and innocent, kissed his chest where his heart beat softly, and he smirked, brushing her hair. She looked up at him and chuckled, picking loose blades of grass from his short hair. His eyes followed her finger caution\usly and, upon seeing the grass, shook his head to himself and smirked.
"It's not like it's going to do anything to me."
"Yeah," she giggled, running her fingers down his cheek. "But you look so much better without it," she kissed him, and they continued to kiss for minutes on end. After a few moments of passion, followed by the soothing calm of the river, Maya confessed her worry to her love.
"You'll be home a while, right?"
"Of course, Maya-chan." He answered with his soothing voice and tone that she fell in love with. "I have no reason to go anywhere, and my next retreat isn't scheduled for a couple of weeks." He sighed and smiled at her; they were both completely unaware of the dangers that lurked right ahead, with the coming of the dawn..
So, at peace, she rolled onto her back, sighing contently to herself, her hand in his… his.. Him… her true love.. Her… soon-to-be… hopefully… husband… looking up together to the stories of infinite galaxies.
To Be Continued...
Chapter Two- Escape Into Dreams