Difference: Right or Wrong (Naruto FanFic)

The truth...

For the next few months, as per the Hokage's request, Kakashi kept a very close eye on his son and his new friend. Despite their unusual closeness, there was nothing out of the ordinary that Kakashi could see between the two. Everyday, the two children would start the day off with training. Kakashi, despite living with his only son, could only feel distance between the two of them since Zero appeared. He raised Rei the best could as per his mother's request, but watching his son getting close to the princess, he could only feel as if he had done something wrong. Reporting to the Hokage that nothing was out of the usual again, Kakashi was released from watching over the children. Writing it off as his imagination, the Hokage pushed away the feeling of dread whenever he saw the children together.

Over the coarse of 5 years, Rei and Zero grew inseparable. Of course, this was partly because of some dangerous, life threatening, missions they've completed together. As it was 5 years ago today that Zero had left the castle, her home, it was time for her to return for a brief 3 days to celebrate her promotion to ANBU captain. As per her request, Rei was allowed to accompany her to her home. Happy, the couple began their journey to the Dark Kingdom. As usual, the two arrived to their destination unharmed and successfully. "Welcome home, Zero!" Daiki, the king, announced as he saw his only daughter stand before him. "My, Rei, you've grown up so much since I saw you 5 years ago! I hope you're being good to my daughter."

"Yes, sir!" Rei bowed deeply.

"Father, as a solider of the Dark Kingdom, what do we specialize in?" Zero blantenly asked.

Without hesitation, Daiki answered, "Stealth and precision, why?"

"Did you get what I ask for?" Zero followed up.

Getting serious, Daiki snapped his fingers and a solider ran into the throne room with a box of some sort. "It was a heavily guarded secret in the leaf village and some unknown, but heavily guarded village. It was no easy task getting these scrolls, but we've managed to attain them with success." The soldier handed the Princess the box before exiting the room. Staring at Rei, Zero exited the throne room as well. Rei and Daiki stared at each other briefly before following Zero. She led them to her father's study, tasking Rei to sit down in a chair before handing the box to him. Taking the vacant seat beside him, Zero stared at Rei's face as he looked at the box in confusion.

"Your birthday was a week ago, but the gift I wanted to give you wasn't ready. I requested you to come celebrate my promotion and your birthday in a grand way, but most of all, I wanted to give you the history of your past. Those scrolls contain your family linage." Zero smiled. Excited, Rei hurriedly opened the box and pulled out the contents.

"Wait!" Daiki shouted suddenly. "Rei, before you open those scrolls, I want to warn you beforehand, it's not something you might want to know. My daughter seems to deeply care for you and I know you care for her as you've laid your life down to save hers on the multiple missions you've been on together. Zero, could you give us a minute alone?" Following her father's orders, Zero left the room and embarked on her own quest to ensure the party plans went smoothly. Sighing, Daiki took the seat his daughter once occupied, "When I was Zero's age, I was sent to the leaf by my parents as it's tradition to uphold the peace between the two villages. Like you and Zero, I had a best friend named Ryo. We were inseparable and we both risked our lives for each other on missions. When I was your age, I came home for the coming-of-age ceremony, but negations between the leaf and the Dark fell through and soon war was upon us. My parent's lost their lives in the war, and suddenly it was up to me to maintain the peace. Which seemed impossible, but was inevitably obtainable. However, the leaf still wanted my head and that's when my best friend came for me, so as undermined as it was, I kidnapped his wife. I didn't know they were expecting, but by then, it was already too late. In the end, I killed them both and kidnapped Zero and raised her as my own. After that, I made it my duty to maintain the peace between the Leaf and us for my daughter's sake."

"Excuse me for interrupting, but why are you telling me this?" Rei ask, perplexed.

"Forgive me, but I took the liberty of reading about your past beforehand." Getting even more serious than he already was, Daiki continued, "What you're about to learn, you may not like. Zero knows nothing about the contents of the scrolls, so whatever you learn, I beg you, not to hate my daughter for obtaining this knowledge for you. And whichever you decided to do with that knowledge, you have the full support of the Dark Kingdom."

Rei grew weary of the scrolls he held in his hands. Taking a deep breath, he opened up the first one and began to read. At first he was relieved to know it was just about his kekkei genkai, but as he continued to read on, he soon discovered as to why he was adopted by Kakashi and why he was never allowed to learn about his past. Picking up the next scroll, he carefully examined the picture. It was a simple family tree of the Mazoku clan. Placing the scrolls back into the box, Rei took several deep breaths before glaring at the wall before him. Quickly getting up from his seat, Rei bowed deeply before Daiki. "Thank you, Lord Daiki." Placing the box on the nearby desk, Rei got on his hands and knees before Daiki before continuing on. "I humbly request to remain here after the 3 days are up. I will escort Princess Zero to the Leaf if she wishes afterwards, but please allow me to stay within the Dark kingdom. I'll find work and repay you however I can. Please."

Daiki frowned at the boy who was begging before him. Standing up, Daiki lifted the smaller boy from the floor. "I already told you, Rei, you have the support of the Dark Kingdom, if you wish to stay here then I'll prepare you a room within the castle walls for as long as you could possibly want to stay here. As for work, you've done enough by sticking with my daughter and making her feel comfortable as she was away from home all these years. However, if you truly wish to work, you may join my army."

Without thinking, Rei hugged Daiki. Smiling in content, Daiki comforted the young man as he cried tears of joy and sorrow. Within the next hour, the two exited the study to witness Zero completely taking over Itsuki's job in planning the party arrangements. Rei stared at Daiki, seemingly waiting for permission to approach his daughter. Daiki just smiled and nodded before walking off. "Hey, Rei." Zero smiled as Rei got near.

"Can we talk?" Rei looked around the room, where the maids and guards were trying to discreetly listen in. "In private, somewhere?" Without another word, Zero led Rei to the back garden. Spotting a nearby bench, Rei sat Zero down as he sat next to her. "Your father was right. It's something I didn't want to know, but something I needed to know. Long ago, there was a clan called the Mazoku clan. As I've told you in the past, my kekkei genkai allows me to manipulate people. As such, the leaf encouraged my ancestors join their ranks due to fear of their powers. As they kept a close eye on my clan, they soon deemed us to be a threat so Lord Second ordered a massacre of my clan. I don't know how I was born nor how my family managed to escape the inhuman execution, but I do know that whenever ask, I was being lied to by everyone in the Hidden Leaf! Kakashi, Lord third, the elders, they all knew!"

"So, what do you plan to do?" Zero suddenly asked. This caught Rei off guard. He knew he didn't want to return to the leaf, but what was he going do to? Run? Run from what? He hadn't done anything wrong. He had no reason to run. "I say, we fight back!" Zero smiled as she rose from the branch. "Personally, I never liked the leaf. Had they never messed with the Dark Kingdom then my parents would still be alive. More importantly, Daiki's parents would've been alive. Hand me your headband." Without hesitation, Rei gave up his headband, which he proudly wore on his head. Smirking, Zero scratched a deep line through the leaf's insignia. "Disregard the leaf like they disregarded your fellow clansmen."

Daiki, who was secretly spying on the two, smirked proudly. "My lord, should we do something to stop them?" Itsuki asked worriedly.

"Despite not being my legitimate child, Zero has certainly grown up and proved that she's truly the Dark Princess. Let's go, Itsuki, we must prepare the children for war." The smirk that Daiki wore only grew bigger as he retreated back into the castle.