A Tobi Fanfic: Swirlypop no Jutsu

Chapter 1 - Persistance Pays Off

Note: I do not own any of the characters that are used from the Naruto manga and anime series. All rights of their mentioning should be acknowledged towards the one and only Masashi Kishimoto. Characters that I do own however, are mine and mine alone. They may not be reused by any other person unless they receive a legimate consent from myself. Any ideas, plot lines, names of characters etc., that may have been used by another person are entirely coincidental. I would appreciate it if you did not steal my work as I do not steal yours.
Thank you.
Emsyly :)

The age of Tobi (Obito) in this story is 25ish instead of 29-30 as written in the original Naruto series by Masashi Kishimoto. (Allowing the age difference between the two main characters to be a bit more forgivable... You'll see...)

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Chapter 1

AYAKO

I was in the training grounds, perched up in the branches of the tallest tree I could find. I had been there almost all day practicing my abilities with chakra control, but to no avail.

My eyes were dark brown, and for the moment they remained fixated on my feet as I tried to direct my chakra towards them. I lifted one foot testingly to see if there would be resistance between my shoe and the tree, but with no such luck. Instead my shoulder length black hair danced around my face as if animated by a non-existent breeze. It was so annoying! It happened every time I practiced in chakra control. It would accumulate in my hair instead of where I wanted it to go. Iruka sensei had told me that mastering chakra control was the starting point for learning how to accomplish other jutsu. But when I couldn't even tell my chakra where to go, how was I supposed to learn even simple jutsu?

"Ayako Suzumi?"

I peered down and spotted an unfamiliar jounin ninja standing underneath me on the ground. He had spiky black hair, and a pair of red framed sunglasses which reflected sunlight into my eyes. I squinted, using my hand as a shield. "Yes?

"Lady Hokage wishes to speak with you."

This couldn't be good. "Did she say what for?"

The ninja shook his head. "Something about your latest exam results perhaps...? But I cannot be sure."

I sighed. "Very well." I jumped down to where the other ninja stood, readjusting my dress and fishnet tights before straightening. "Okay, I'm ready. Shall we go then?" He nodded.

We walked side by side down the busy roads in Konoha. It was still early in the afternoon, which meant people were bustling in stalls and talking with friends on the streets.

I looked over to the ninja beside me. "What's your name?"

"Aoba Yamashiro."

I'd heard of him. He was that Jounin ninja which specialised in mind reading skills and the scattering thousand crows technique. According to some rumours I'd heard throughout the academy, he was also signed up to be one of the genin squad leaders this year. What a coincidence if I happened to pass my genin exams and was put into his squad. "Nice to meet you, Aoba." I smiled warmly.

His mouth quirked up a little at the sides, but he didn't completely return my smile. Instead, he pushed the sunglasses further up the bridge of his nose."I've heard about you, Ayako Suzumi. You're that academy student who lacks any ninja abilities."

"Hey, who told you that! And might I add, I've improved a lot since I entered!"

"So have the other students who were your level, and look at them now." I didn't want to think about what he was implying. Naruto and the others were a few years younger than myself, but since I started the academy a few years later we happened to be in the same rank. And yet they all passed their exams a couple years back. Some of them had even passed the chunin exams since then.