Taimuzu no Kawari by RyuKazuki
Summary: Naruto has left Konoha to escape the clutches of Akatsuki and train to become stronger. Konoha isn't much the same without Naruto and an ANBU who was never originally born in Konoha goes around doing missions for Tsunade as he tries not to interfere them with his own goals. Normally, everything is fine, but he doesn't know that he's been tracked down and hunted.
Categories: OC-centric, General Fiction > Naruto, General Fiction > Timeskip Characters: Akatsuki, Anko Mitarashi, Ayame, Clan Hyuuga, Clan Uchiha, Hidden Leaf Ninja, Hidden Sand Ninja, Hinata Hyuuga, Itachi Uchiha, Izumo Kamizuki, Kotetsu Hagane, OC, Tsunade
Genres: Action/Adventure, General
Warnings: Death
Challenges: , The Ultimate OC Challenge
Challenges: , The Ultimate OC Challenge
Series: Naruto: The Ninja World
Chapters: 5 Completed: No Word count: 9311 Read: 6122 Published: 11/09/10 Updated: 24/08/11
Story Notes:
A story based around an OC Konoha ANBU and his friends.
Total Opposites! Kazuki and Rei! by RyuKazuki
Author's Notes:
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Naruto except the Original Concepts in the story.

This story takes place during the time skip while Naruto is away from Konohagakure. The story will contain Original Characters, and of course; Canon Characters, because there are some characters that were never shown much of and should have a little more influence. Although, it will be based mainly around an OC in the story. Some characters belong to myself, friends, or other members.

Reviews of any kind are welcome and appreciated. It always encourages me to write more and feeds a little more spark into my burning fires of inspiration and editing. It also makes me glad to know I am satisfying my readers and letting them enjoy their time while reading.

OC information is at the end of the chapter.
A note lashed against the breeze as its straight shape was ruined in the hands of the young woman who had her grip on it. She brushed one of her slender shoulders to dismiss the messenger hawk that perched there when it landed. She herself looked from the note towards the gates of Konohagakure. "This is the place, huh...? Oh well, can't complain much really." She shrugged to herself and stepped into the gates, shoving the note into her pocket as she approached the village. Even though this wasn't her home, she wasn't afraid of this foreign land.

The girl was slightly tall, but she still had a little time to grow. After all she was only eighteen years old. Her figure was thin but she endowed enough to fit an average weight. Her smooth, white hair only reached her shoulders. It brushed against her face in the passing breeze. A Sunagakure hitai-ate was tied around her throat, and a strange gourd strapped over her shoulder.
"I'll take the usual, Ayame," a boy said from the counter of the inside of the Ichiraku Ramen Shop. He placed a few ryo on the table and sighed a bit to himself as he waited for his, what would be, supper to be ready. Sitting back in the corner was the best way to keep himself hidden by shadows, but anyone around the village could tell who he was.

This boy was Kazuki Ochina, currently a fifteen year old Anbu black ops in Konohagakure. He was slightly taller than everyone else his age, he weighed at an average for people his age. His hair was around a medium-short length, and was black like the night sky. The length of his bangs covered his right eye. His eyes were a natural blue color which usually glowed a bit brightly in the darkness. His Konohagakure hitai-ate was placed perfectly across his forehead. The last most noticeable thing about his face was the scar on the right side of his face. The scar looked as if a wolf had scratched him very deeply across the face with three of its claws. The scar was only a year old.

"Why the long face?" Ayame asked as she approached the counter and set down a hot bowl of ramen. She took the ryo and walked away to put the money with the rest of her day's profits. "You seem down lately!"

"You must be delusional. There isn't a day that I'm not worried about something..." he replied, sighing once again and swirling his chopsticks around in the bowl. He pulled them out of the bowl and set them back on the counter as he stared at the steam that rose from the broth.

"Things have been pretty different without Naruto around.. Either way, it's not healthy, maybe you should ask Hokage for a day off."

"I'll just deal with it..."

"Evening," another girl said as she entered the restaurant. "I'd like a bowl of miso with a little extra seasoning," she said to Ayame as she entered with an inviting, but cautious smile. She brushed her white hair behind her ears and slipped out a note from her pocket to examine it.

Ayame had placed down the bowl of ramen. The girl had already put away the note and placed some ryo on the counter. Ayame collected the payment for the meal and put it away.

"Kinda quiet in here, isn't it?" the girl asked Kazuki as she snapped her chopsticks and turned her head to him. She couldn't get a good glimpse on him though because of the darkness, but she knew he was there.

Kazuki refused to respond and slowly ate his ramen. He was in far too bad of a mood to converse with anyone.

"I'm Rei, by the way," the girl said to him, trying to make friendly conversation.

"Your point?" Kazuki replied without taking his eyes off his bowl.

"My point..." she said, getting annoyed, "...is that I'd like to know your name... Duh!"

"You're a little out of luck then..." he said after finishing his ramen bowl and starting to head out.

"Looks like I found who I needed," Rei smirked a bit to herself and turned back to her ramen.
By then it had started to rain, which that didn't bother Kazuki at all as he allowed himself to be drenched by the sky's droplets. The streetlights had been turned on once it fell dark enough, but of course by now, the moon was already out.

Two Anbu flickered in front of Kazuki. Both of them were wearing their hooded, black cloaks, and each of them wearing the same mask, the mask of a tiger.

Both of the Anbu looked towards him as one spoke, clearly and sternly. "The Hokage wishes to speak with you. You are to report to the offices at once."

"Alright..." Kazuki responded, nodding his head in agreement.
Moments later the three of them vanished and reappeared outside the Hokage's offices. The Anbu were on each of Kazuki's sides, one to the left, one to the right. The Anbu to the right slowly raised their arm and tapped on the door with their knuckles.

"Come in!" a voice responded from the other side of the door, allowing Kazuki and the Anbu to enter the room.

The three of them entered the room at the same time. The Anbu stood erect as Kazuki bowed without question or argument.

"Evening, Tsunade-shishô," Kazuki said as he stood back up and stared towards the village's leader.

"You know your proper respects, and you are not to call me that anymore," replied a voice resembling Tsunade's.

"My apologies. Why was I called here?"

"Have a seat and I'll tell you." She motioning her hands towards a chair in front of her desk. The desk was currently cluttered with scattered papers.

Kazuki approached and sat, he didn't mind how late it was, nor did he mind that he'd been called to see the Hokage really. His attitude remained the same from day to day, so these conditions wouldn't change anything.

"Bring in our guest!" Tsunade said to the Anbu at the back of the room.

"Guest?" Kazuki asked as he looked back towards the door.

The two Anbu returned to the door and opened it enough to allow the person enter to room. The person who did was the girl from before, at Ichiraku Ramen, Rei.

"What's the meaning of this...?" Kazuki asked as he glared towards her and shifted his eyes in Tsunade's direction.

"She is your new bodyguard. Each mission you receive, and anywhere you go, you will be watched so we know that you won't do anything wrong."

"...Why the hell do I need a guard?"

"It's not that we don't trust you, it's just we..."

"You what?" Kazuki interrupted; he became angry. He felt as if Tsunade didn't trust him, making him criticize himself on the inside. "You think because I have similar problems that I'll become a rogue like Sasuke?"

"We just can't risk something like that happening again."

"That's an outrage!" Kazuki shouted as he slammed his fists on Tsunade's desk. Due to his training, he had quite impressive strength. Unfortunately, due to his temper, he was not always in control of that strength. His fist pounded the desk and it shook with an almighty crack, as though a thunderclap filled the room. Moments later, the desk's legs shuddered and gave. The large piece of furniture fell in on itself, broken into pieces at Kazuki's feet.

"This was not just my decision! This was an order carried out by the Daiyamo and backed up by the Daiyamo of Suna no Kuni. Even Kazekage agreed to this. You'll understand one day, but until then, you're dismissed for the night."

Kazuki got up without a word and left the room without a word.

Rei watched Kazuki leave. Her arms were folded over her chest and her brows were somewhat knitted. "He seems a bit hard headed," Rei quirked once Kazuki left the room.

"He is. It's a bit frustrating sometimes, but he'll have to understand!"

"I'll take good care of him, so don't you worry, Hokage!" Rei bowed and left the room.
The next morning Kazuki was sitting out in front of what was his home in Konoha. He was already dressed up in his casual clothes, a black shirt with his clan insignia on the back, long blue pants, and a katana in a sheath on his back.

"Hi!" Rei chimed as she stepped up to him, her shadow loomed over him as she stood there. "How are you today?"

He lifted his head a bit slower than normal and only cocked an eyebrow in her direction. "Why are you asking stupid questions?"

"Why are you so mean? What about that, huh?" she snapped at him as her eyebrows twisted into a glare.

"Whatever, let's go!" He stood up and headed into the market area with a pack to carry things in.

"Why did we come this way?" Rei looked around with a bit of curiosity.

He continued walking through the market, stopping at shops and stands to buy supplies. "I have missions to carry out, so I need things to take with me, and prepare for."

"Where to anyway?"

"There's an anti-shinobi city in Konoha no Kuni... I have to go there and meet up with a few others to speak with their leader about negotiations..."

"Sounds dangerous. It's a good thing you're not going alone!"

"...I can handle it."

"What's the place like anyway?"

"Not like I know. All I know is that it's called Tomoe Town, and they hate ninja!"

"Are you always such a jerk?"

Kazuki didn't say another word as he threw his sack over his shoulder. He turned out of the market and headed towards the village gates, setting a headset over his ear. "I'm preparing to embark."

"Alright, watch out for any ambushes on your way. We're still in disguise until we get the signal," replied a voice from the other end of the signal.

"Roger!" Kazuki replied and put the headset away as he left the village with Rei following behind him. "...By the way, what's the estimate?"

"It's not far. It'll take about a half hour to an hour, just make sure you don't-hey! Who the hell are you?"

"What's going on?" Kazuki shouted as he started running. "What's the problem?"

There was no response from the other side of the communication. Nothing but pure silence. The feeling made thoughts race through Kazuki's minds. Rei started to run after Kazuki to catch up.

"Dammit!" He turned his head to Rei as he kept dashing off towards his destination. "If you want to do your job right, you'd better hurry and stop lagging behind!"
End Notes:
OCs introduced this chapter (and their creator); Ochina Kazuki (Ryu-Kazuki), Rei (Die Walkure)
This story archived at http://www.narutofic.org/viewstory.php?sid=10109