The Birth of a Green Beast

Part 1:

I don't have a name.

Everyone around me has one, but I am an exception. Time after time the caretakers at the orphanage and the other kids would try to call me by one, but I stubbornly refused. In the end, they settled for "Greeny", referring to the color of the clothes I preferred... which, by the way, took me a long time to find, since I wanted something that closely resembled an anime superhero I admire at a price I could afford.

...Who the heck does this silver-haired guy think he is? Some nerve, calling me an idiot just because I bumped onto him; and for the record, it was his fault. HE should watch where he is going. I'll get back at him, that I promise.

I asked about him and was told that he is the son of the genius ninja Hatake Sakumo, the famous... White Claw or something. The caretaker also told me that he is called Kakashi and is a genius himself. A full-fledged ninja since last year, it took him just a year to graduate from the academy, and he is said to be about to become a chuunin, too.

It's decided. I'm going to enroll to the academy, take the exams early and become a ninja in less time than that with hard work; after all, I am at the springtime of my youth! From this day on, Hatake Kakashi will be my rival.

And if it takes me more time... What am I thinking? It won't. But if by some chance I fail... Got it! I'll run a hundred laps round Konoha without break... on my hands! That's a promise - with the "nice guy" pose! Those promises must never be broken.

Yes, that should help for motivation. And even if I should fail, it will still help me train my body. Yeah, from now on, I will always give myself such goals and penalties.

But I am going to need a name. And a nickname. "Greeny" won't do for either.

...What about those multicolored manga from the western lands -"comics", I think, is what they call them there- that I read a few days ago? Many thanks to the lady whose son didn't need them anymore; she gave them to me for free. But that's beside the point.

I mainly looked at the pictures when I 'read' them, but I did catch some "English" words that I already knew, since I had found them in Japanese manga and anime, too.

One word in particular caught my interest. Might. I knew it meant power, greatness... So, I wanted my new name to contain that.

But what about my favorite "nice guy" pose? Shouldn't I put something about that too? Might Nice Guy?

No, not both "might" and "nice". So, I'm going to settle for "Might Guy".

But I'll need a good nickname, too. Not "Greeny", but something impressive. Green Beast? Not enough. Noble Green Beast? But I have to mention my looks... Yosh! I got it: Beautiful Noble Green Beast of Konoha. Fitting for a superhero... and a super ninja. Watch out, Kakashi! Might Guy is coming!

Part 2:

My nickname never worked as intended - everyone shortens it to a simple "Green Beast", IF they use it.

One year has passed since I entered the academy, and I met my Jounin sensei yesterday. I am currently on my way to my apartment (yes, I've lived alone for the past few months.)

...But what is this glimpse of silver across the street that I caught? There, in all his glory, stands none other than Hatake Kakashi, my worthy rival.

"Oi, Kakashi!".
(What is he doing? He didn't answer at all, he is just leaving!)
"Where are you going Kakashi? We are rivals! I want to duel you!"

"I don't remember having a rival. In fact, I don't think I even know you."

"So you are acting all hip and cool, huh? How unyouthful... but you are truly a worthy rival. You push me to my limits in every way!"

"No, I truly don't recogn-"
(He was stopped by my hands gripping his shoulders)

"Kakashi! Fight me! You will see that I am a worthy rival as well!" My words were accompanied by my hands shaking him.
(For some mysterious reason, his eyebrow has just started twitching)

"Get your hands off me..."

"Kakashi!"

"I'm not in the mood."

"Don't tell me you are afraid... Kakash-"
(Where did he go?)

Epilogue:

"I caught up to you Kakashi... pant... at last... pant"

"What do you want from me? I am not in the mood for sparring or... 'dueling'."

"Then just answer a question."

(He sighs) "I'm listening."

"How long did it take you to graduate from the ninja academy?"
(Hah! You'll never beat my record: Three hundred and fifty three days! All because of my youthfulness and hard work!)

"One year."

"I mean how much exactly."
(I am smiling using my signature grin, my teeth shining brighter than the sun with the power of youth. Kakashi sweatdropped)

"Three hundred and forty-eight days, five hours and-"

"AAHHHHHHHHH!"

Kakashi's POV:
(I wonder what got into him. One thing is for certain: he is completely crazy. I mean, what sane person would, in the middle of a conversation, suddenly run off to god knows where, ON HIS HANDS, all the while screaming something about his... flames of youth not burning brightly enough at the top of his lungs? Well, not that I care. Or complain. At least that got rid of him for me...)

Fin

Author's notes:
This story is set during the time Guy and Kakashi are 6 years old (the first part, which is supposed to be somewhere in the middle of the month between the second and the third exam of Kakashi's only Chuunin Exams* - thus less than 3 weeks before his promotion. Also, I've set it a couple of days before Guy started the Academy) and 7 years old (the second part and the prologue, two days after Guy graduated). Kakashi's father is still alive and hasn't been disgraced yet for the whole duration of the story (the failed mission would be next year or in several months, you could say). I tried to keep them in character for 6-7 year-olds, and tried not to contradict canon (but that doesn't mean that I haven't used a lot of information that I thought up).

*At the time they were kids, the Chuunin Exams -if they existed- would be more secretive and held by each village for its own ninja only, with promotions without exams courtesy of the Hokage and his councilors probably being a common occurence because of the war and the rule that only Chuunin were allowed in the battlefield. However, I believe that Kakashi passed the Exams, being a genius.

...I'm not good at using 1st-person POVs and even worse with present tenses when writing, but they seemed fitting here. Guy isn't a character I like very much, but this idea couldn't leave my mind.