Chapter 3: The Starting Point
Author: Drawings for this fanfic are done by Usachan so if you lovely people would care to see more, please visit Usachan2KageT at DeviantART. Thank you!
p.s. I’ll use the word “Kage” instead of the word “shadow”.
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On their way to the room, tension filled the air eventually.
“Thanks for not killing me earlier, Usa-chan.” Tora broke the silence.
“Thanks for not killing me too, Tora-kun.” Usagi glanced at his bloodied form. “You’re not hurt, are you?”
“No, it’s their blood.” He answered after following her sight.
They walked through the dark corridor dimly lit by moonlight through the metal bars.
“The last time we went through this corridor, we were hunting the weaker kids, weren’t we?” Tora shivered at his own memory. “We passed through here and…”
“Don’t say anymore, Tora.” Usagi could still recall everything. The faces they made and the feel of her own hand in their flesh and all the blood and footsteps and fear…
“Ah, I’m sorry.” Tora shot a side glance at his teammate. She still had the same smile on her face but something told him that she was crying.
They reached their new room in no time. It was a plain room, with a double-bunk bed, two wardrobes filled with sufficient clothes, a desk and a small bathroom. The children were excited to see real beds after spending two years in the cold cells.
“You can have the top bunk, Usagi-hime~” Tora told her with a sing-song voice, feeling exceptionally generous.
“Really?” Usagi felt doubtful, she didn’t want to trouble others.
“Uh huh, you have it. I’m older, so I’ll sleep down HERE!” Tora said reassuringly, hopping onto his chosen bed at once.
“-shoooh shoft, mnaand phluphheeee!!!(so soft and fluffy)” The older boy was smashing his face into his pillow happily.
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The alarm clock rang across the room, earning a kunai in its direction.
Usagi woke up with a start, staring at the broken piece of junk. “It was an accident!”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m sure it was.” Tora got up slowly with a yawn. ”Get dressed, Usa-chan. Training’s starting soon.”
The genin team washed and dressed up in similar uniforms. “Ready?” Tora glanced at the seemingly nervous girl beside him.
Usagi took a deep breath and looked at him with determination. “Aye, aye, capt’n.”
“What? I’m the captain now?”
“Yeah, why not? You’re the one called Tora. Tora Taichou.…? …...sounds…funny.”
“Hey, no jokes in my team, you hear?” Tora gave his teammate a stern gaze.
“Hai!” Usagi gave him a mock salute.
The two of them proceeded to walk down to the arena.
“Good, you’re on time. These are your new instructors.” Their former instructor, now known to them as one of the leaders of Kage, gestured towards a few masked shinobi behind him. “All of us have our own strengths and weaknesses, but here in Kage, we make flawless shinobi, and even your weaknesses must be turned into your strength. Work hard, if you wish to live.” He flickered away as soon as he finished his speech, not even bothering for any reaction from them.
The students and instructors bowed to each other, and the training started.
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How’s that? Good, no good? Continue, discontinue?
