Chapter 1: Beautiful Innocence
Katsumi:
“Sasuke, let’s go down to the lake, okay?” I said, and he gave me a glowing grin of challenge. We were standing outside of the entrance to the Uchiha Clan compound. The streets were bustling with busy shoppers, with carts heaped with goods.
“Yeah!” Sasuke said. I took off, and he ran to catch to catch up with me. I leaped clumsily over a cart, earning a few yells from the middle aged woman who was pushing it as I knocked a few of her groceries onto the ground. I yelled a quick apology over my shoulder, and weaved through customers. I glanced to my right to see Sasuke keeping up with me easily. I turned a sharp left, smirking as Sasuke skidded hazardously on the wet grassy lawn. I pushed myself faster, feeling my lungs start to ache as they worked harder and harder. I caught sight of the expansive lake that spread before me. I grinned. Sasuke was nowhere in sight.
This race was just about won. And I would be the one winning it.
I felt the wood under my sandaled feet. I was about to reach the end when I felt Sasuke’s shoulder brush mine. I didn’t have to energy to yell in surprise. We ran neck in neck to the finish line, also known as the end of the small wooden dock. We collapsed at the edge, heaving in great gasps. Sasuke was trying to laugh smugly at our tie, but all that came out were small wheezes of air. I didn’t even try to say anything, too busy gulping the cool air. We gradually got back to normal.
Sasuke stuck out his tongue mockingly. “Ha! I almost beat you! I was this close!” He said loudly, holding his thumb and forefinger barely a fraction of a centimeter apart. I pouted.
“I was so close!” I said, sitting hard on the wood. He sat next to me, an odd smile on his young face. I perked up immediately. I knew that look. That look meant secrets.
I absolutely loved secrets.
“What is it? Tell me tell me tell me!!!!” I said excitedly, all anger at almost being beaten pushed aside. Sasuke held a finger to his chin, thinking about it.
“I don’t know Katsumi. I’m not sure you’re worthy enough.” He said, grinning as I huffed in anger. If you could even call my faint impression of irritation such a strong word.
“You and your chicken-butt hair!!!!!! Tell me! Please?” I pleaded sweetly, changing from insulting to persuasive in almost the same second. He smiled. He knew my pathetic insults too well by now to really be offended. I mean, ‘chicken-butt hair’? How much more pathetic can you get?
“Alright. Father is going to teach me the Fireball Justu when I get into the academy. He told me not to try it until next weekend, but he taught me the hand signs.” He said quickly, and I gasped.
“My father said that that’s a special justu! C’mon teach me!” I squealed. Sasuke and I, along with the other kids who had passed the test, would be officially entered into the Konohagakure Ninja Academy tomorrow at nine in the morning. It was a very formal ceremony, but very unfair in its formality. Everyone but the new students could wear whatever they wanted, while we had to dress our very best. It was so silly.
Sasuke began to teach me the movements, and we kept at it until the sun was beginning its descent down behind the Hokage face engraved mountain. We giggled mischievously at the thought of being one step ahead of the rest of the rest of the class before the school even started. I glanced down at the blue watch my dad had given me for my seventh birthday two months earlier. It read 6:45 PM.
“Oh! I have to get home! Father will be home soon!” I ran down the dock and out into the middle of the street, which was mercifully clear of shoppers now that the day was coming to a close. Sasuke tore ahead of me, smirking in a smug way when he saw my surprised face at his speed.
“Oh yeah? Lets see who wins this time!” I said, and we raced again, pushing each other and laughing.
There was a faint wind that whistled through the trees, long after we disappeared around the corner of the main street. It blew gently though the Uchiha fan banner that adorned the entrance to the compound. Then, suddenly, it tore harshly through it, and the wind howled and moaned. The banner whipped around violently, but it remained nailed securely to the entrance, no matter how many times the wind slashed at it. After a few more attempts, the wind died down, and gentled into a soft breeze.
I walked up the steps of our mansion, nestled deep within the Uchiha Clan property. Sasuke, who was mirroring my movements up his own mansion steps, waved at me, his obsidian hair shimmering in the faint crimson rays the sun had left before it disappeared. I waved back before going in and closing the door behind me. Sasuke’s father and my father were both leaders of the Uchiha Clan, so it was natural that they should live next to each other. It was how Sasuke and I had met, four years ago, on the very steps of this house.
I was immediately confronted by my mother, who gave me a hug and critically inspected my dirt smudged face and knees. She shook her head in amazement.
“Oh dear. What happened this time Katsumi?” She said as she quickly went to the kitchen to fetch a wet rag to gently wipe my face and knees.
“Oh, Sasuke and I went racing on the way home and I tripped on my way past the dango shop.” I said, as the door opened to reveal a tall man with dark hair and almost black eyes. He wore the police force outfit, and looked tired. I grinned.
“Father!” I yelled, running into his arms with joy. He hugged me back, swinging me around in a circle. After releasing me, he went to kiss Mother for a long moment, and we made our way to the table to eat dinner.
Mother placed our plates in front of us, and when I picked up my chopsticks and began to eat, Father began to tell us about his day at work.
My father, Hitoshi Uchiha, was an Uchiha police ninja who strived to keep the village safe and peaceful. He was one of the best, and only Fugaku* and Itachi could challenge him.
Father and Mother talked about their day for a few minutes with one another, while I ate silently, and I brought up a question I had been thinking about for awhile.
“Um, Father?” I asked tentatively.
“Yes Katsumi?” He asked, smiling encouragingly at me.
“What’s the academy like?” I asked softly, twisting the tablecloth nervously between my fingers. Father stared at me for a few moments, before bursting out laughing. Mother soon joined him, and I watched their laughter in confusion.
“You’re worried academy huh?” Father said after his chuckles had subsided. “Don’t worry. It’s much more fun than it looks, so just do your best and have a good time.” Father patted my hair reassuringly. I immediately relaxed as his words sunk in.
Mother started cleaning up the dinner dishes. She smiled at me. “Your father is absolutely right Katsumi. You should be proud, because we certainly are. You’re not always going to be our little baby anymore, and I wouldn’t miss this ceremony for the world.” I hugged her tight.
Father rubbed his hands together, looking at the clock that was hanging above the sink.
“Well Katsumi, I think it’s time to go to bed. You have a big day tomorrow.” He said, and I received a kiss on my cheek from him before I went down the hall to my room. I quickly changed and crawled in bed, expecting, even though my parents had reassured me, to be up all night fretting about the ceremony tomorrow. Surprisingly, I drifted off into a dreamless sleep the instant my head touched the pillow.
My dream was vivid and dark. It showed me, with my black hair and my unusual light gray eyes. Mother and Father had never commented on my gray eyes, but I had heard them talking about it when they thought I was asleep. In this dream, Mother and Father were pushing me away.
“You’re not welcome here! You aren’t and Uchiha! Go back where you came from!” They said harshly, and I felt myself hit the ground…hard. I heard someone behind me, and turned to see a beautiful woman with long black hair that reached her waist. She smiled at me, with her deep gray eyes that glowed with love.
“Katsumi…You are not an Uchiha, my daughter…You are-” But the voice was cut off as a crying of a baby was heard. I leaned toward the sound, and saw a blonde haired baby in a man’s arms, the man’s hair the same bright shade as the baby’s was. His eyes were deep blue, and his handsome face smiled with sadness. The woman closed her eyes, and faded away. I screamed.
“Wait!!” I yelled, running after the now disappearing man. He smiled again, reaching out.
“You can’t be allowed to remember. Goodbye…Katsumi…”
When I woke up the next morning, I was covered in sweat, shaking, but when I tried to remember the dream, it just slipped away. I couldn’t remember it at all.
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* In case you dont know, Fugaku is Sasuke's father. Just letting you know! :D
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Story notes: Im pretty sure this story's gonna be long, cuz i go all the way through the genin years and into shippuden, but im not sure still. But I think the story so far is awesome, so plz read!!
Chapter notes: I do not own Naruto or anything related to Naruto. (except my character Katsumi, i do own her) Enjoy!
Chapter end notes: Hope u liked it! if i get at least 3 reviews then ill update the next chapter