A Time of Shadows

Chapter One

the sound of silence

This story does not begin in happiness, but it does end in it. But no, this story begins in sorrow and drenched in the blood of loved ones. This story begins five years ago in Konohagakure, the village hidden in the leaves, on the settlement of the Hakita clan. It begins with two small children, only the age of eight each, sitting on a dock together in the light rain, watching water lap at the shore, talking about the future. The two talked about it often. Their older siblings loved each other. Why wouldn't they? His fingers would timidly lace over hers, and they would smile timidly. That was how things were at the small age of eight. Easier. Talk of the future only ever seemed bright.

But then they went home, and parted their ways. The usually bustling activity in her home was gone, silent, the bells that hung from each building the only thing chiming lightly in the air with each gentle breeze. She didn't notice the blood right away, not until she stepped in a puddle...a puddle she thought was from the rain until she looked down and saw red.

The smallest daughter of the Hakita clan ran to her family's home to only find her mother and father slain, lying in pools of their own blood, the red running together and mixing. It was enough to make the young girl vomit, not that she'd ever admit that to anyone. But her older sister, Ren, was nowhere to be seen. The young girl slipped her hands into familiar movements, Swift Style jutsu, the only one she knew well, running through her mind. The Hakita family always were always masters of elemental jutsus, combining them into astounding feats. Some were taught at a young age, some were learned older, and some were unlocked on instinct alone. This combination of lightning and wind style jutsus was easy enough, and taught to the youth only the last year.

The hand movements complete, the smallest future-ninja blinked into nothingness, her footsteps becoming quick as she ran for the entrance to her family's compound, hoping the move lasted long enough for her to get out of here, sight unseen. Was this really the intent of the kekkei genkai? No, it was for attacking, for catching your enemy off guard, and she knew that. But right now, all she could feel was the deep-rooted fear nestling in her belly and the need to get out. It was almost animalistic, the way she tore herself across that open ground, panicked.

Suddenly, something stopped her with such a force it was as if she had run into a wall. She looked up, eyes widening in fear for a moment, until they settled on the familiar face of her older sister. Ren. Her hair was long and deep black, almost purple in the moonlight, blowing out in the wind behind her. The younger girl's face softened for a moment, tears starting to fall from her eyes. She reached for her sister, but the elder girl stepped backwards.

"Don't," she hissed. "Don't touch me. Look around you sister. Do you not understand?" The younger girl frowned, her brow furrowing as she tried to put her sister's words together. "Don't you understand that the only reason I am left standing here in front of you is because I did this?" her words were like bombs dropping on the girl's shoulders. She felt the weight of the world collapse upon her and her sister noticed. "Good, you're starting to understand. Now go, before you meet their fate. Go and spread the word of what happened here today."

She didn't wait twice, didn't stop to try and convince Ren to surrender. Maybe she could have, should have. Maybe that would have prevented all of the things which were to come down the line. Maybe that was her own punishment, the wondering that would be left in her mind for all of those years in the future. Who could she have saved, if she hadn't run away?

Of course, we always have time to riminess on the facts in the aftermath, wondering what could have gone differently if we had known all the potential outcomes. But does anyone expect an eight year old to recognize such impacts? No, that would be foolish and unfair. Those anxieties shouldn't be placed on the shoulders of a thirteen year old either, but, well, here we are. Often that is the way of things, when one is forced to grow up so quickly. And so she did. Satski Hakita had no choice but to grow up, for when she found herself on the doorstep of her best friend's home, Sasuke Uchiha was in the same state of turmoil. Together, the two dragged on another into town, until someone finally took the time to stop and ask what was wrong. And then, the two were completely alone, together. And they still are, even now....