Choking tendrils of smoke wafted around the battleground, thicker in some areas, vapid
in others, and settling in just that way that would make you half think you needed glasses.
Amidst the ruins of buildings and people, one man stood, panting deeply, heavy with regret.
He knew he wouldn't last long, outward appearances were of a perfectly strong and
healthy man, but internally, he was beyond salvageable. But no matter how tired, how destroyed,
no matter how achingly he wanted to call it quits and slip into the quiet slumber of death, he still
owed it to his people that he at least keep what's left of them safe.
His vision wavering, he held out a small bundle to the giant beast.
"I give him to you... now please... leave my people..."
The weight on his hands lifted; the terms accepted. The dull thuds and menacing aura
retreated, and as the Yondaime slipped away, the faint giggles of the infant son he had given up
reached his ears.
(Maybe... I made the right decision after all...)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Five years later
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Maybe it all started when rumors circulated around the village of sightings of a little
blonde boy who wore no clothes and seemingly disappeared whenever well-meaning shinobi
tried going after him.
At first, many people thought the child was just a free-spirited kid below the Academy
level and with very, very lax parents, but no, all heads were accounted for during a particular
sighting, and witnesses claimed none of the local hair colours matched his.
Essentially, he was just a Wild Boy.
Mostly he was seen outside the vast gates of Konoha, and mostly by Jounins and Anbu on
their way to and from missions, and just barely out of the corner of their eye. If not for his sunny
blonde hair that caught the light like gold and shined just as brightly, he'd probably have
continued unnoticed. Villagers started calling him "The Sunshine Boy" for lack of a better name.
At first, the ones who chanced upon him tried going after him solely to bring him into the
village and find out why on earth he was living outside and why oh why he had no clothes. But
he'd always, ALWAYS manage to slip away from them, and for awhile it was speculated among
the villagers that he was a ghost, a shadow from the past. However, this was soon dispelled
when two up-and-coming ninjas, Hatake Kakashi and Maito Gai, derived a game to play with
him.
At first they had been assigned the duty of capturing The Sunshine Boy, but after a day of
fruitless chasing, just when they were about to give him up as hopeless, he appeared before them,
enticing them into a game of cat and mouse. As skilled as they were, they could not keep up with
the energetic lad.
Word spread about how the two notable ninjas could not keep up with the speed of a
single kid, and soon other ninjas played the game. It was thought that a shinobi could really
prove their nettle if they could catch him, or even get to him.
To his enjoyment, and their dismay, he always got away, sometimes after sneaking
goodies out of their packs.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
For as long as his rumors persisted, it was always thought that The Sunshine Boy lived
outside the village, existing only in the boundless forest that kept the village hidden. To think
that he ever lurked around their homes was simply never considered, until Yamanaka Ino came to
class with a flushed face.
Apparently, as she was tending to some flowers outside her family's shop, she caught The
Sunshine Boy using a pot filled with Gardenias as a bathroom.
As she stood there in shock, he turned and waved with one hand, smiling a wide animal
smile with scrunched eyes, all the while still watering the flowers. Dumbstruck, she waved back,
then made her way to school. It wasn't until she had made it through her classroom door that it
all caught up to her, and she responded by turning beet red.
As it was still early and the shopping district that the Yamanaka Flower Shop was located
in had not yet opened, no one else had witnessed the outrageous act. It was noted, however, that
the Gardenias grew very well that year.
Upon hearing this, people started paying closer attention to those little things they'd seen
from the corners of their eyes, no longer dismissing them as figments of their imagination.
Sometimes, it was him. Other times it was nothing but the hope of seeing him.
The Sunshine Boy was the talk of the village, but he never really became a raging wildfire
of stories, but he was more of the underground news. His sightings were more of the
underground gossip, useful for people who never normally received attention, or the subject
whenever nothing else was very exciting.
Like the time he was spotted walking on top of a nearby lake, only to dive into the
deepest part and emerge with a huge trout dangling out of his mouth.
Like the time he sat next to a peeping Jiraiya for a full ten minutes before the Sennin
noticed him and the bathing ladies noticed Jiraiya.
Like the time he was seen by Aburame Shino eating honey out of a wild hive, and when
the bees attacked him they were repelled by a burst of chakra. (Shino was extremely grateful
none were hurt and resolved to leave snacks out for the boy, to keep him from stealing from
bugs.)
Like the time Haruno Sakura's father tried leaving clothes out for him, and the next time
he was spotted he had a pair or underwear on his head.
Although he was a great topic of conversation among the villagers, there was one house
that refused to hear of the Sunshine Boys's feats.
The Uchiha Clan was old and stable, and had no interest in the tales of an insane boy.
They had a new generation to raise, and two boys were vying for the position of head of clan.
Unlike the Hyugas, who believed in first come, first serve; the Uchihas believed strength and
endurance were the key to a strong clan. While Uchiha Itachi was a confirmed genius, his
younger brother Sasuke was no slacker either. A little slower in coming, but if all signs point
correctly, Sasuke would someday give Itachi a run for his money.
He was always on track and serious, the type you'd call "level-headed". He considered
himself very much so, even though he was young and always pestering his brother. So when
things got out of hand, he his first thoughts were that he, Uchiha Sasuke, and not the rest of the
world, was finally losing it.
He liked to pretend he had no interest in anything but becoming worthy of his clan's name,
but really, he was just a kid, and just as interested in the stories of The Sunshine Boy as anybody
else his age. He never grilled any witnesses for information, they were all willing and eager to tell
their tale to anyone listening, and all he needed to do was cock his ears in the right direction to
hear. Such an avid listener was he that he quickly knew the stories as well as the people telling
them.
His rational side told him he was a disgrace, but deep inside... he wished he could meet the
wild child, maybe even live as carefree too. He wasn't too keen on the naked part though.
It was on one of those particular days were the sun was bright and cheerful, but the wind
was a bit too cool, that Sasuke was in his backyard practicing with his kunais.
His father was on a mission, his brother gone too, and his mother was either running
errands or having a luncheon. No one was home save for him, so he used his time trying to hone
his lackluster skills with projectiles.
It had been awhile since he had truly concentrated on training without having The
Sunshine Boy on the back of his mind, so when he focused, he really focused.
Which explained why he nearly jumped out of his skin a face popped out of the bushes
right next to where his blade had struck.
His first thought was that either the ever annoying Haruno or Yamanaka had discovered
his address and wanted to further torment him. Then he grew angry with himself by showing his
surprise.
The he realized exactly who he was looking at.
Dazzling yellow hair... easy grin... scrunched eyes... obviously naked...
It seemed Uchiha Sasuke at long last was finally meeting the figure of his interest.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hellooooooooooooooo- party people! I'm in an extremely good mood today. And why is
that, you ask? Well, there's no school right now, duh-! Plus I've learned I'm getting a nice
college scholarship next year. No worries for me!
So enjoy your day, week, month, and life, and remember Mr. Pineapple loves you.
in others, and settling in just that way that would make you half think you needed glasses.
Amidst the ruins of buildings and people, one man stood, panting deeply, heavy with regret.
He knew he wouldn't last long, outward appearances were of a perfectly strong and
healthy man, but internally, he was beyond salvageable. But no matter how tired, how destroyed,
no matter how achingly he wanted to call it quits and slip into the quiet slumber of death, he still
owed it to his people that he at least keep what's left of them safe.
His vision wavering, he held out a small bundle to the giant beast.
"I give him to you... now please... leave my people..."
The weight on his hands lifted; the terms accepted. The dull thuds and menacing aura
retreated, and as the Yondaime slipped away, the faint giggles of the infant son he had given up
reached his ears.
(Maybe... I made the right decision after all...)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Five years later
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Maybe it all started when rumors circulated around the village of sightings of a little
blonde boy who wore no clothes and seemingly disappeared whenever well-meaning shinobi
tried going after him.
At first, many people thought the child was just a free-spirited kid below the Academy
level and with very, very lax parents, but no, all heads were accounted for during a particular
sighting, and witnesses claimed none of the local hair colours matched his.
Essentially, he was just a Wild Boy.
Mostly he was seen outside the vast gates of Konoha, and mostly by Jounins and Anbu on
their way to and from missions, and just barely out of the corner of their eye. If not for his sunny
blonde hair that caught the light like gold and shined just as brightly, he'd probably have
continued unnoticed. Villagers started calling him "The Sunshine Boy" for lack of a better name.
At first, the ones who chanced upon him tried going after him solely to bring him into the
village and find out why on earth he was living outside and why oh why he had no clothes. But
he'd always, ALWAYS manage to slip away from them, and for awhile it was speculated among
the villagers that he was a ghost, a shadow from the past. However, this was soon dispelled
when two up-and-coming ninjas, Hatake Kakashi and Maito Gai, derived a game to play with
him.
At first they had been assigned the duty of capturing The Sunshine Boy, but after a day of
fruitless chasing, just when they were about to give him up as hopeless, he appeared before them,
enticing them into a game of cat and mouse. As skilled as they were, they could not keep up with
the energetic lad.
Word spread about how the two notable ninjas could not keep up with the speed of a
single kid, and soon other ninjas played the game. It was thought that a shinobi could really
prove their nettle if they could catch him, or even get to him.
To his enjoyment, and their dismay, he always got away, sometimes after sneaking
goodies out of their packs.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
For as long as his rumors persisted, it was always thought that The Sunshine Boy lived
outside the village, existing only in the boundless forest that kept the village hidden. To think
that he ever lurked around their homes was simply never considered, until Yamanaka Ino came to
class with a flushed face.
Apparently, as she was tending to some flowers outside her family's shop, she caught The
Sunshine Boy using a pot filled with Gardenias as a bathroom.
As she stood there in shock, he turned and waved with one hand, smiling a wide animal
smile with scrunched eyes, all the while still watering the flowers. Dumbstruck, she waved back,
then made her way to school. It wasn't until she had made it through her classroom door that it
all caught up to her, and she responded by turning beet red.
As it was still early and the shopping district that the Yamanaka Flower Shop was located
in had not yet opened, no one else had witnessed the outrageous act. It was noted, however, that
the Gardenias grew very well that year.
Upon hearing this, people started paying closer attention to those little things they'd seen
from the corners of their eyes, no longer dismissing them as figments of their imagination.
Sometimes, it was him. Other times it was nothing but the hope of seeing him.
The Sunshine Boy was the talk of the village, but he never really became a raging wildfire
of stories, but he was more of the underground news. His sightings were more of the
underground gossip, useful for people who never normally received attention, or the subject
whenever nothing else was very exciting.
Like the time he was spotted walking on top of a nearby lake, only to dive into the
deepest part and emerge with a huge trout dangling out of his mouth.
Like the time he sat next to a peeping Jiraiya for a full ten minutes before the Sennin
noticed him and the bathing ladies noticed Jiraiya.
Like the time he was seen by Aburame Shino eating honey out of a wild hive, and when
the bees attacked him they were repelled by a burst of chakra. (Shino was extremely grateful
none were hurt and resolved to leave snacks out for the boy, to keep him from stealing from
bugs.)
Like the time Haruno Sakura's father tried leaving clothes out for him, and the next time
he was spotted he had a pair or underwear on his head.
Although he was a great topic of conversation among the villagers, there was one house
that refused to hear of the Sunshine Boys's feats.
The Uchiha Clan was old and stable, and had no interest in the tales of an insane boy.
They had a new generation to raise, and two boys were vying for the position of head of clan.
Unlike the Hyugas, who believed in first come, first serve; the Uchihas believed strength and
endurance were the key to a strong clan. While Uchiha Itachi was a confirmed genius, his
younger brother Sasuke was no slacker either. A little slower in coming, but if all signs point
correctly, Sasuke would someday give Itachi a run for his money.
He was always on track and serious, the type you'd call "level-headed". He considered
himself very much so, even though he was young and always pestering his brother. So when
things got out of hand, he his first thoughts were that he, Uchiha Sasuke, and not the rest of the
world, was finally losing it.
He liked to pretend he had no interest in anything but becoming worthy of his clan's name,
but really, he was just a kid, and just as interested in the stories of The Sunshine Boy as anybody
else his age. He never grilled any witnesses for information, they were all willing and eager to tell
their tale to anyone listening, and all he needed to do was cock his ears in the right direction to
hear. Such an avid listener was he that he quickly knew the stories as well as the people telling
them.
His rational side told him he was a disgrace, but deep inside... he wished he could meet the
wild child, maybe even live as carefree too. He wasn't too keen on the naked part though.
It was on one of those particular days were the sun was bright and cheerful, but the wind
was a bit too cool, that Sasuke was in his backyard practicing with his kunais.
His father was on a mission, his brother gone too, and his mother was either running
errands or having a luncheon. No one was home save for him, so he used his time trying to hone
his lackluster skills with projectiles.
It had been awhile since he had truly concentrated on training without having The
Sunshine Boy on the back of his mind, so when he focused, he really focused.
Which explained why he nearly jumped out of his skin a face popped out of the bushes
right next to where his blade had struck.
His first thought was that either the ever annoying Haruno or Yamanaka had discovered
his address and wanted to further torment him. Then he grew angry with himself by showing his
surprise.
The he realized exactly who he was looking at.
Dazzling yellow hair... easy grin... scrunched eyes... obviously naked...
It seemed Uchiha Sasuke at long last was finally meeting the figure of his interest.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hellooooooooooooooo- party people! I'm in an extremely good mood today. And why is
that, you ask? Well, there's no school right now, duh-! Plus I've learned I'm getting a nice
college scholarship next year. No worries for me!
So enjoy your day, week, month, and life, and remember Mr. Pineapple loves you.