The Blood in our Veins

Green Apples and Morbid Swings

The academy test was easy enough, so easy it amazed me that, stupid as he was, talented Naruto had not passed. I should have helped him, taught him some things when he struggled in class, but I did not see his problems for my own.

I stared in hopelessness at his slumping figure on the morbid swing, his favorite place when the other children would bully him. My parents could not make it, and I did not grudge them for it. The Anbu was a demanding program. I felt no pride in the the headband I now held in my hand, only in the tattoo that marked my left arm with black ink, a painful gift for passing my test so many weeks ago, it seemed like years.

The other children who had successfully become little genin were being congratulated by their parents, Kiba, Shikamaru, Choji, Sakura, and Ino included. Those that had not passed were being comforted quietly, whispers and tears well concealed within their chests. But Naruto had no one, and I pitied him that.

"Hey, Naruto?" I asked, quietly walking over so as not to draw any more attention than the quiet, dismissed boy had already gained.

He looked up at me with no shine in his eyes except the mark of tears. Instant anger rushed in my veins for the ones who had so easily and without guilt done this to the innocent young child. "Oh, its just you Mitsu."

What was that supposed to mean?"Um, yeah, just me. You want to come over later tonight and have dinner? My parents won't be back from their mission until tomorrow." I was lucky, training had been postponed until their arrival, and my brother, Setsuna, was still in school at the moment. I was, as I often am, on my own, as Naruto also was.

"Not tonight." He remarked easily, hanging his head once again and staring at the other kids in clear jealousy and dislike.

"Um, well I just wanted to say that I believe in you Naruto. I hoe that counts for something at-least" I really did, it wasn't rare that I felt my life held little consequence, which in the end was true. Death takes all, even when your name is so well remembered for years. i had no presuppositions that my name would be one of those remembered for years to come, but Naruto had something about him that made me think maybe he would be remembered.

"You really mean that?" He seemed so surprised, staring at me with wide eyes, all traces of sadness instantly gone. I wished deeply I could do that at a drop of a hat, but training forced me to never be sidetracked by happiness.

"Yeah, of course. There's something about you Naruto that tells me to believe in you and what the future holds for you. It seems almost as if you're going to become very wise, one day."

He was so happy in that moment that something inside me swelled up with the beauty of his blue eyes shining like diamonds and the way his skin practically overflowed with an inner light. It felt good to make somebody feel better, felt good to be kind. especially to a person who appreciates kindness so much. For he had not known much kindness in his life.

"Thanks! Dattebayo! I'll prove you right Mitsu and become the best Hokage this village has ever seen! Then everyone is going to have to respect me!" His smile brought me a smile and his excitement made me chuckle, as if held a very contagious disease.

"You show me Naruto!" I could not help but show the same excitement, though it had all but been completely wiped from my personality. 

"Dattebayo! I'm gonna go train now!"He stood from his swing and walked away without a proper good-bye, but i did not mind. I watched carefully, though, as one of the Sensei's followed Naruto into the distance, a dark aura collecting around them. My blood sharpened , stabbing my insides with a warning of future events and a sped pulse.

I tended to try not to meddle too much in people's lives, so the moment of notice that my strange powers gave me I partially ignored for the rumbling that erupted in my belly.

Taking a seat on the old swing, i took out a green apple, barely bruised from my school day, and chomped off a huge bite, allowing the juices to flow down my chin and my eyes to close in quiet ecstasy. It was a nice day, everyone was safe, I was proud of my own accomplishments, and beside that one pulsing, no other warnings from my blood alerted me to trouble.

Today was turning out to be pretty good, I wondered if it could get any better?

Kicking off from the ground and reaching for the sky with my pointed feet, I began to wonder about the future.